PM blasts “intolerable” prisoner release errors as Lammy faces backlash over Justice Fiasco
Sir Keir Starmer has said Justice Secretary David Lammy “set out the facts to the best of his knowledge” after two prisoners were mistakenly released from custody including a convicted sex offender who remains at large.
The Prime Minister’s comments come amid fierce criticism from Conservative MPs, who accused Mr Lammy of having “no clue” about his own department and demanded accountability for what they called an “unforgivable breakdown” in the justice system.
The first error emerged on 29 October, when registered sex offender Brahim Kaddour-Cherif, an Algerian national, was wrongly released from HMP Wandsworth. The Metropolitan Police confirmed on Wednesday that Kaddour-Cherif is still missing and continues to be treated as a high-risk fugitive.
Just hours later, it was revealed that William “Billy” Smith, aged 35, had also been mistakenly freed. Smith had been sentenced only hours earlier to 45 months in prison for multiple fraud offences. Unlike Kaddour-Cherif, Smith has since surrendered to authorities.
Speaking publicly for the first time since the blunder came to light, Sir Keir said the situation was “intolerable” and admitted feeling “angry and frustrated” at the systemic failures. “Let me just say how angry and frustrated I am that these mistakes have been made in releasing people,” he said. “They’re intolerable, and they shouldn’t be made. A lot of it comes from the burden and strain on the system because of the failures of the last government. But I recognise it’s our job to step up and to fix this.”
Opposition MPs have seized on the crisis to question the competence of the justice department under Lammy’s leadership. Senior Tories accused the justice secretary of confusion over the timeline of events and of trying to shift blame onto civil servants. A Conservative spokesperson said, “It’s beyond belief that the Justice Secretary doesn’t seem to know what’s happening in his own department.”
Mr Lammy has defended his handling of the affair, insisting that he was acting on information provided to him at the time. “I’ve set out the facts as I knew them,” he said earlier, promising that a full investigation into how the wrongful releases occurred was already under way.
The controversy has reignited concerns about the operational capacity of HMP Wandsworth, one of Britain’s most troubled prisons. The facility, which previously came under scrutiny following the high-profile escape of terror suspect Daniel Khalife in 2023, has faced repeated criticism over security lapses and staffing shortages.
Justice officials are now reviewing protocols across the prison estate, with early indications suggesting that administrative and communication failures played a role in the mistaken releases.
Starmer, who has pledged to restore confidence in public institutions, faces pressure to demonstrate that his government can deliver stability and competence. Insiders say the prime minister is determined to ensure accountability without fuelling a wider sense of chaos. “This cannot happen again,” one government source said bluntly.
Meanwhile, police continue their search for Kaddour-Cherif, urging the public not to approach him but to contact authorities immediately if spotted.
The episode has dealt a heavy blow to the justice department’s credibility, leaving ministers scrambling to contain the political fallout as questions mount over control, oversight, and public safety within Britain’s prisons