Former police officer Peter Bleksley has condemned the release of another convicted prisoner, calling it a "shambolic indicator" of how the criminal justice system is being run in Britain.
The error involving a 24-year-old Algerian national at HMP Wandsworth in London occured on Wednesday, October 29 — just five days after the mistaken release of 41-year-old Ethiopian sex offender Hadush Kebatu from HMP Chelmsford in Essex.
Speaking to GB News, Mr Bleksley said: “This is, of course, a ludicrous situation that should never have occurred. I never heard of such a thing happening during the 21 years that I served.”
Mr Bleksley criticised HMP Wandsworth, noting its "checked past" and appalling conditions, pointing to the 2023 escape of wannabe spy Daniel Khalife.
Peter Bleksley slams 'shambolic' criminal justice system
|GB NEWS
"This is yet another stain on the tattered reputation of that prison,” he added.
"If I were one of the officers tasked with trying to find this man, I would be absolutely livid at the amount of time it took for the police to be informed.
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“Ultimately, we could have had a more rational, controlled system in our borders and not let this criminal in the first place.
“There’s no war in Algeria. These people aren’t fleeing for their lives, they’re moving to a place of greater economic opportunity.”
"This is a shambolic indicator of the state of our justice system, it should never have happened.”
A second foreign prisoner has been mistakenly released from prison
| PAThe latest mishap cames just two days after Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary David Lammy announced enhanced checks on prisoner releases.
A Metropolitan Police spokesman confirmed to GB News: “Shortly after 1pm on Tuesday, November 4, the Met was informed by the Prison Service that a prisoner had been released in error from HMP Wandsworth on Wednesday October 29.
“The prisoner is a 24-year-old Algerian man. Officers are carrying out urgent enquiries in an effort to locate him and return him to custody."
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Mr Lammy reportedly believed it would have been irresponsible to comment on the mistaken release of a second foreign prisoner while details were still emerging.
The Ministry of Justice told GB News that the Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary was informed of the HMP Wandsworth error overnight.
However, sources said Mr Lammy declined to answer repeated questions at PMQs about whether any additional migrants had been mistakenly released, as information was still emerging on the “complicated” case involving multiple agencies.
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