One of the mistakenly released prisoners has handed himself back in to Wandsworth prison, ITV News can exclusively reveal.
William Smith told ITV News that he was handing himself back in, after being accidentally released on Monday, November 3.
The 35-year-old from Surrey was filmed by ITV News as he returned to the prison on Thursday morning, accompanied by his partner who he hugged before walking to the entrance of Wandsworth prison, where he approached a member of staff.
Details of Smith’s mistaken release emerged on Wednesday. He had been sentenced to 45 months in prison for multiple fraud offences at Croydon Crown Court on Monday, November 3, Surrey Police said.
A manhunt began for Smith, described by Surrey Police as a white, bald, and clean-shaven individual, last seen wearing a navy long-sleeve jumper with a Nike ‘tick’ across the front, navy blue Nike tracksuit bottoms, and black trainers.
Surrey police confirmed Smith had handed himself back in on Thursday.
In a statement, the force said: “We are cancelling our appeal to help find wanted 35-year-old William Smith, who was released in error from HMP Wandsworth on Monday, November 3.
“Smith handed himself in to HMP Wandsworth today.”
The National Chair of the Prison Officers’ Association, Mark Fairhurst, said he understood the mistaken releases were due to “clerical errors”.
“Prisons throughout the country are underfunded, understaffed and operating under relentless strain. Dedicated staff are doing their utmost, but too often they are left without the proper support, training or technology to do their jobs safely and effectively,” he said.
A second prisoner who was wrongly released from Wandsworth Prison, 24-year-old Algerian national Brahim Kaddour Cherif, has not yet been found.
His release came just five days after the high-profile sex offender Hadush Kebatu was released by mistake from HMP Chelmsford.
In the wake of Kebatu’s release, Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary David Lammy said prison services would implement enhanced checks on prisoner releases.
In a social media post after Smith handed himself back in, the justice secretary said police were continuing efforts to recapture Kaddour Cherif.
Writing on X, Lammy said: “William Smith is back in custody. The spike in mistaken releases is unacceptable.
“We’re modernising prison systems – replacing paper with digital tools to cut errors.
“We’re working with police to recapture Brahim Kaddour-Cherif.”
Responding to Smith’s return to custody, the Liberal Democrat MP for Woking, Will Forster said: “Our prisons shouldn’t be relying on an honours system of wrongfully released people handing themselves back into prison.
“The government still has serious questions to answer – they need to explain why he was wrongly released in the first place and rebuild the public’s confidence in our broken justice system.”
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