Algerian man released from London prison in error

An Algerian man has been mistakenly released from prison in London, police have said.

A Met Police spokesperson said officers were carrying out “urgent enquiries” to locate the 24-year-old man, who was released in error from HMP Wandsworth last Wednesday.

It comes after migrant sex offender Hadush Kebatu was also released from prison by mistake last month.

The Ethiopian national, who arrived in the UK on a small boat, was jailed for sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl and a woman while living in an asylum hotel in Epping, Essex.

During Prime Minister’s Questions Justice Secretary David Lammy, who was standing in for Sir Keir Starmer, was repeatedly asked whether any other asylum-seeking offender had been accidentally let out of prison since Kebatu was released but refused to answer.

A Met Police spokesperson said: “Shortly after 13:00hrs on Tuesday 4 November, the Met was informed by the Prison Service that a prisoner had been released in error from HMP Wandsworth on Wednesday, 29 October.

“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.”