David Lammy expressed his strong dismay and shock following the accidental release of another foreign criminal from prison. The Deputy Prime Minister highlighted systemic flaws within the criminal justice system as a manhunt commenced for a 24-year-old Algerian man mistakenly set free from HMP Wandsworth on October 29th, with authorities alerted by the Met on Tuesday.
This incident emerged amidst Mr. Lammy’s silence on whether any asylum seekers were mistakenly released following the Hadush Kebatu scandal. The missing individual is confirmed not to be an asylum seeker. Mr. Lammy condemned the release, emphasizing the need for accountability and improvement in the justice system. He initiated stringent measures to prevent such errors and commissioned an independent investigation led by Dame Lynne Owens to address the recurring issue of accidental releases.
During a tense exchange at PMQs, Mr. Lammy faced inquiries about further accidental releases of asylum seekers post the Kebatu case. The Ethiopian national, Kebatu, who had assaulted a minor, was repatriated after an erroneous release from HMP Chelmsford. Calls have been made for Mr. Lammy to update Parliament on the recent incident.
The release of the Algerian national was brought to Mr. Lammy’s attention overnight, but due to ongoing investigations, details were not disclosed during the parliamentary session. Critics, including Lib Dem justice spokeswoman Jess Brown-Fuller, demanded a thorough explanation from the government regarding the repeated errors in the justice system.
The Metropolitan Police confirmed the erroneous release of the Algerian man and launched urgent efforts to locate and detain him. The incident has raised concerns about public safety and the efficacy of the criminal justice system.