Wandsworth Manhunt Latest: Search Underway for Two Prisoners Freed by Mistake
Just days after migrant sex offender Hadush Kebatu was mistakenly released, new figures reveal that 262 prisoners were freed in error in the year leading up to March 2025.
Two Prisoners Released by Mistake at HMP Wandsworth
Hours after discovering one runaway prisoner mistakenly released from HMP Wandsworth, authorities confirmed a second escapee from the same prison in south London.
HMP Wandsworth acknowledged that a foreign prisoner was accidentally freed on 29 October, only five days after Hadush Kebatu’s high-profile release from HMP Chelmsford in Essex.
Later on Wednesday, Surrey Police announced they are also searching for 35-year-old William Smith, who was apparently released in error on the preceding Monday.
Official Responses and Trends
Both mistakes followed Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary David Lammy’s promise to introduce stricter checks on prisoner releases.
The number of mistaken prisoner releases has surged recently, with 262 cases reported from March 2024 to March 2025—a 128% increase from the previous year's 115 errors.
Manhunt Continues
Authorities remain actively searching for the two escaped prisoners.