A Systemic Problem in the Justice System
Labour peer Harriet Harman has described the recent series of mistaken prisoner releases as a potential 'opportunity' for Justice Secretary David Lammy to address deep-rooted issues within his department. Speaking on Sky News' Electoral Dysfunction podcast, Harman suggested this crisis could allow Lammy to 'roll up his sleeves' and demand the necessary resources and focus to resolve ongoing problems.
The Scale of the Issue
The situation came to light after two prisoners were wrongly freed from HMP Wandsworth last week, following the high-profile mistaken release of migrant sex offender Hadush Kebatu from HMP Chelmsford. Harman emphasised this has shone a spotlight on a systemic problem that requires urgent attention.
Official figures reveal the alarming scale of the issue, with 262 prisoners mistakenly released in the 12 months to March 2025 - averaging approximately five erroneous releases per week. Harman noted that the full extent of the problem might be even greater than these figures suggest.
Mounting Pressure on the Justice Secretary
David Lammy, who also serves as deputy prime minister, faces significant criticism over his handling of the crisis. During Wednesday's Prime Minister's Questions, where he stood in for Sir Keir Starmer, Lammy refused to confirm whether any additional asylum seekers had been wrongly released since Kebatu's case.
As PMQs concluded, news emerged that Algerian sex offender Brahim Kaddour-Cherif had been released in error. It was later revealed that Lammy had been informed about this incident overnight on Tuesday. The justice secretary has defended his decision not to disclose this information immediately, stating he lacked complete details and didn't want to mislead the public.
The timing raises further questions, as Lammy had promised stronger prison checks on 27 October following Kebatu's release. Despite this assurance, Kaddour-Cherif was mistakenly freed just two days later on 29 October, while another prisoner, William 'Billy' Smith, was wrongly released on Monday. Smith has since turned himself in, but Kaddour-Cherif remains at large.
Harman concluded that rather than descending into political conflict between Labour and Conservatives, this situation presents Lammy with a crucial chance to implement meaningful reforms in a department desperately needing systematic improvement.
