Twelve Prisoners Accidentally Released Since November With Two Still At Large, Says Lammy
The government is under renewed pressure after Justice Secretary David Lammy confirmed that 12 prisoners have been mistakenly released in the past few weeks, with two still unaccounted for.
Lammy said the errors happened despite new checks being introduced after a series of high-profile mistakes, including the release of Hadush Kebatu, who was later rearrested and deported. He stressed that the latest cases occurred in a system still running on paper files, saying that mistakes are inevitable until prisons move to a "completely digital system".
He acknowledged the rise in accidental releases but said things are slowly improving, saying that the amount of accidental releases was now on "a downward trajectory". Lammy also told broadcasters he had been "reassured" that the two remaining fugitives are not violent or sexual offenders, but wouldn’t provide further detail, arguing that the police may be in the middle of attempts to arrest them.
The issue has sparked political friction. Shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick branded Lammy "Calamity Lammy", accusing him of offering confused figures and claiming that the situation has worsened. Jenrick and colleagues have demanded more information about the two missing inmates, with some arguing that the public should know who is on the run and what they were convicted of.
Lammy defended holding back details on the missing inmates, saying that he doesn’t want to give a "running commentary" while police are working to locate the individuals. He also pointed to long-term staffing problems in the prison system and said that fixes will take time, and that “we have got a mountain to climb.”
The government has begun rolling out upgrades, including up to £10m for AI-driven tools designed to reduce errors, and has asked Dame Lynne Owens to review the failures that led to Kebatu’s release and other cases across the estate.
