A sex offender who was accidentally released from a south London prison has been apprehended in north London following a week on the run, raising serious questions about prison security procedures.
The Arrest and Public Involvement
Brahim Kaddour-Cherif, a 24-year-old Algerian national, was arrested in Islington after being mistakenly freed from HMP Wandsworth last Wednesday. The Metropolitan Police confirmed the arrest occurred on Blackhorse Lane in Islington just before 11:30am on November 7th, following a sighting by a vigilant member of the public.
Officers responded immediately to the tip-off and took Kaddour-Cherif into custody. Exclusive footage from Sky News captured the moment of arrest, showing the offender wearing glasses, a grey jumper, black headband, dark green trousers and carrying a backpack as he was handcuffed by police.
Criminal History and Immigration Status
Kaddour-Cherif, who also goes by the name Ibrahim, has a concerning criminal record. He was convicted in November 2024 of indecent exposure relating to an incident that occurred in March of the same year. The court handed him an 18-month community order and placed him on the sex offenders' register for five years.
His most recent prison sentence was for trespass with intent to steal. According to Metro sources, Kaddour-Cherif had recently appeared in court charged with failing to comply with sex offender requirements.
Contrary to initial speculation, the offender is not an asylum seeker but entered the UK legally on a visitor's visa in 2019 and subsequently overstayed. He was in the process of being deported when the mistaken release occurred from HMP Wandsworth on October 29th.
Ongoing Prison Security Concerns
This incident marks the second such case from HMP Wandsworth in recent days. Another prisoner, Billy Smith, 35, who was accidentally freed from the same prison on Monday, has since handed himself back in to authorities.
The consecutive mistaken releases from the same institution have sparked concerns about procedural failures within the prison system. Both cases involved offenders being wrongly discharged despite active legal proceedings against them.
During his arrest, Kaddour-Cherif attempted to deny his identity to arresting officers, though police were able to confirm his details through established identification procedures.
The Metropolitan Police issued a social media update confirming the arrest, stating: 'Officers have arrested Brahim Kaddour-Cherif who was released in error from HMP Wandsworth on October 29.'
