By Ben Kerrigan-
After a three-day national manhunt, one of two inmates wrongly freed from HMP Wandsworth earlier this week voluntarily handed himself in, bringing partial closure to an embarrassing episode for the Prison Service.
Surrey Police confirmed on Thursday that William “Billy” Smith, 35,(pictured) who was mistakenly released on Monday, November 3, returned to HMP Wandsworth. The remarkable moment was captured on film by news crews, showing Smith waving and smiling broadly as he approached the prison entrance to speak with staff, seeming entirely unconcerned by the frenzy his mistaken prisoner release had caused. Smith was serving a 45-month sentence after his conviction for multiple fraud offenses at Croydon Crown Court.
AD: Capeesh Restaurant
Smith’s premature release came about because of a communication failure involving the court system. A crucial administrative error incorrectly informed the prison that his custodial sentence was suspended, not immediate. The widespread news has earned him an undesirable notoriety due to the cracks in the system.
A correction notice detailing the error was initially dispatched to the wrong individual, delaying the necessary action. By the time the accurate paperwork reached the correct authority within the prison, Smith had already walked out of the gates, highlighting a profound systemic failure.
Justice Secretary David Lammy immediately addressed the critical lapse on social media platform X. Lammy acknowledged that the spike in mistaken prisoner release incidents is unacceptable, asserting a firm commitment to systemic change. He stated the government is actively modernizing prison systems, replacing paper with reliable digital tools to cut down significantly on these administrative errors. Modernizing these archaic record-keeping methods is now deemed an absolute priority to prevent future mistaken prisoner release scenarios. The Justice Secretary simultaneously affirmed that police forces are working relentlessly to recapture the second inmate, Brahim Kaddour-Cherif.
AD: Oysterian Sea Food Restaurant And Bar
Police are still looking for Brahim Kaddour-Cherif, who was also released in error. Pic: Met Police
While authorities breathed a sigh of relief following Billy Smith’s voluntary return, the intense search continues for the second man wrongly freed from the London prison.
Brahim Kaddour-Cherif, 24, a convicted sex offender, was also mistakenly released from HMP Wandsworth on October 29, just days before Smith’s incident.
Footage capturing Kaddour-Cherif during his arrest on 9 September. Pic: Met Police
The Metropolitan Police have renewed their urgent appeal to the public for information regarding his whereabouts, believing Kaddour-Cherif remains within the London area. The Met stated publicly that he is known to have links to both the Tower Hamlets and Westminster areas. Officials strongly advise members of the public to call 999 immediately if they spot the individual, emphasizing that he should not be approached under any circumstances.
Kaddour-Cherif, an Algerian national, was serving a sentence at Wandsworth for trespass with intent to steal. However, he had a previous conviction on his record for indecent exposure, intensifying the public safety concern surrounding his mistaken prisoner release. It is understood that he was in the process of being deported after overstaying his visa, though he is not listed as an asylum seeker. His escape followed just five days after the high-profile and deeply controversial release of Hadush Kebatu, a migrant sex offender freed in error from HMP Chelmsford in Essex. The mistaken releases heaps further embarrassment to the government after Epping hotel migrant Hadush Kabatu was wrongly released from HMP Chelmsford on Friday, 24 October, before eventually being caught and then given money as he was deported.
This series of events underscores the urgent crisis now gripping the correctional sector. Justice minister Alex Davies-Jones has summoned prison chiefs to a high-level meeting, confirming a dedicated team of digital experts is now tasked with overhauling the “archaic” paper-based record system. The frequency of the mistaken prisoner release incidents is deeply alarming.
The Prison Governors’ Association (PGA) described releases in error as “neither rare nor hidden,” but conceded that the sheer scale of the occurrences—262 prisoners released in error in the year leading up to March 2025—is profoundly concerning. The government must urgently address the antiquated processes contributing to this unacceptable rate of mistaken prisoner release to restore public confidence and ensure community safety.
AD: Heritage And Restaurant Lounge Bar
