US EditionLammy defends failing to reveal another prisoner had been mistakenly released
David Lammy said he delayed disclosure to avoid misleading the public and cited incomplete information about the mistaken release of a registered sex offender.
- Failing to disclose, Lammy did not reveal on Wednesday that Brahim Kaddour-Cherif was mistakenly released last week, saying `I did not have all of the details,` he said.
- The Ministry of Justice said an error in the early release scheme partly caused mistaken releases, which were swiftly corrected, while Alex Davies-Jones blamed a paper-based system as errors doubled in the 12 months to March this year.
- The Conservatives pressed Lammy six times at PMQs over whether another prisoner had been released after Hadush Kebatu's 24 October mistake, and one prisoner remains missing with a six-day headstart.
- The fallout handed a parliamentary victory to James Cartlidge, Conservative shadow cabinet minister, and created a serious political problem for David Lammy, Justice Secretary and Deputy Prime Minister, while observers noted Lammy cannot easily be sacked without suggesting government instability.
- Critics say these errors undercut Labour Party's competence pitch and raise questions about its ability to manage offenders and deportees despite Lammy's claim of having `put in place the toughest checks we have ever had in the prison system` after last month's first accidental release.
25 Articles
25 Articles
“Boxes of paperwork” to blame for mistaken prisoner releases
The system for releasing prisoners for British jails currently relies on “boxes and boxes of paperwork”. That was the major takeaway from prisons minister Lord Timpson, who faced questions in the House of Lords this afternoon after the high-profile mistaken release of Brahim Kaddour-Cherif from HMP Wandsworth. Timpson’s appearance is the first time a government minister has faced scrutiny in parliament about the Kaddour-Cherif incident, after a …
Manhunt ongoing for mistakenly released prisoner Brahim Kaddour-Cherif
Sir Keir Starmer said that he was ‘angry and frustrated’ by ‘intolerable’ wrongful prisoner releases. A manhunt for Brahim Kaddour-Cherif is ongoing after Sir Keir Starmer defended his deputy David Lammy against criticism over his handling of the mistaken prisoner release. Police are trying to track down Algerian national Kaddour-Cherif, 24, who was accidentally freed from HMP Wandsworth last Wednesday, October 29. Another prisoner, Billy Smith,…
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