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It comes after a string of high-profile accidental releases
Nicole Wootton-CaneTuesday 02 December 2025 07:48 GMTComments
David Lammy has been criticised over the issue (Jacob King/PA) (PA Wire)
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David Lammy has confirmed two more prisoners have been released in error over the last three weeks.
Speaking on Sky News on Tuesday morning, the justice secretary confirmed there have been two erroneous releases since he made a statement to the House of Commons on 12 November.
It comes after a series of high-profile prisoner releases, including that of Epping sex offender Hadush Kebatu, who was mistakenly released when he should have been taken to a detention centre in October. His 14-year-old victim said she felt "so scared and so anxious" in a statement following the blunder.
Shortly after an Algerian sex offender and a fraudster from HMP Wandsworth were also accidentally freed, leaving police scrambling.
A total of 91 prisoners have been freed by mistake between 1 April and 31 October this year – the equivalent of around three per week, according to the latest Ministry of Justice figures published last month.
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