Released Prisoner and Sex Offender Tracked Down and Arrested
A registered sex offender who was mistakenly released from HMP Wandsworth has been recaptured after a public tip led police to him. The incident triggered a major manhunt across London.
Accidental Release and Immediate Response
Authorities confirmed that 24-year-old Brahim Kaddour Cherif was released from HMP Wandsworth in error, prompting the Metropolitan Police to initiate a search. Officers were alerted on Tuesday following his wrongful release.
Background of the Offender
Cherif, an Algerian national, was convicted in November 2024 for indecent exposure connected to an incident from March of that year. He received an 18-month community order and was placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register for five years. Investigators said Cherif had known ties to Tower Hamlets and was often seen around Westminster.
Public Tip Leads to Arrest
"At 11:23 a.m. on Friday, 7 November, a call was received from a member of the public reporting a sighting of a man believed to be Brahim Kaddour-Cherif near Capital City College on Blackstock Road in Islington," stated a Metropolitan Police spokesperson.
Police officers quickly responded, detaining a man matching Cherif’s description at 11:30 a.m. His identity was confirmed, and he was arrested for being unlawfully at large. Additionally, he was detained on suspicion of assaulting an emergency worker in connection with a separate incident. He is now in police custody, and the Prison Service has been informed.
Author’s Summary
Brahim Kaddour Cherif, mistakenly freed from Wandsworth Prison, was swiftly rearrested after a public report led police to him in Islington.