27 prisoners released by mistake from Scottish prisons over last four years

A total of 27 prisoners have been mistakenly released from Scottish prisons over the last four years, according to official records.   

These figures have been confirmed by the Scottish Prison Service (SPS).   

It comes as a search is underway by police in England for two criminals who were released by accident in the last eight days.   

The force is trying to locate an Algerian national, Brahim Kaddour-Cherif, who was mistakenly released from HMP Wandsworth last week.   

Yesterday at PMQs, UK justice secretary and deputy prime minister David Lammy made a statement regarding the missing prisoner, who was released in London. He told the chamber he was “absolutely outraged and appalled” by the incident.  

Police were also searching for another prisoner, Billy Smith, who was also accidentally released from the same prison earlier this week. It has since been reported that Smith handed himself into the authorities.     

The SPS has confirmed that there have 27 been “liberations in error” in the last four years; eight in 2022/23, seven in 2023/24, nine in 2024/25, and as of 22 October, three this year.

It has also confirmed that none of the liberations in error remain unlawfully at large. 

A spokesperson for the SPS said: “We work closely with the Scottish Courts and Tribunal Service to ensure individuals are managed correctly and in accordance with their warrants. 

“Where errors do occur – in a very small minority of cases – we are open and transparent and work with Police Scotland to ensure they are returned to custody.”  

In the wake of the mistaken release last month of Hadush Kebatu, who was jailed for sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl and a woman, the UK Government announced an independent investigation led by Dame Lynne Owens.   

According to figures for England and Wales, 262 prisoners were released by accident in the 12 months leading up to March 2025. This represents an increase of more than 100 per cent on the previous year.