Justice Secretary faces pressure after 91 inmates freed in error

Shiva k Dhakal
National Press Corporation(NPC)
United Kingdom—More than 90 prisoners have been mistakenly freed from jails in England and Wales since April, new government figures reveal.

According to data released ahead of a parliamentary statement by Justice Secretary David Lammy, a total of 91 inmates were wrongly released between 1 April and 31 October this year.

The government has faced mounting criticism over prison management and security lapses, following several high-profile mistaken releases in recent weeks.

Earlier figures showed that 262 prisoners were accidentally released in the 12 months to March — a 128% rise compared to the previous year’s total of 115.

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) said the new data includes cases where prisoners were released despite still being required to remain in custody, but excludes any incidents involving deliberate actions by the inmates or others.

The department cautioned that the figures were not directly comparable to annual statistics and could be subject to revisions, often upwards, as late recordings emerge.

Recent cases include two inmates mistakenly released from HMP Wandsworth within the same week, both of whom were later recaptured. Another incident involved Hadush Kebatu, a migrant sex offender accidentally released from HMP Chelmsford last month. Kebatu, who had entered the UK on a small boat, was later deported after being convicted of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl.

The opposition Conservative Party has urged ministers to publish a full account of mistaken releases, saying the public “deserve to know the truth about the scale of the security crisis in our prisons.”

Justice Secretary Lammy is expected to address the issue in Parliament later today, outlining measures to prevent further errors and restore public confidence in the prison system.