London, UK – November 6, 2025 – William Smith, a 35-year-old from Surrey, has voluntarily returned to Wandsworth Prison after being mistakenly released earlier this week. Smith, who was serving a 45-month sentence for multiple fraud offenses, handed himself back in on Thursday morning, accompanied by his partner. The couple shared an emotional moment before Smith walked into the prison to approach a member of staff.
The Mistaken Release
Smith had been sentenced on Monday, November 3, 2025, at Croydon Crown Court for a series of fraud-related crimes. However, due to an administrative error, he was mistakenly released from Wandsworth Prison that same day. Authorities were unaware of the mistake until Wednesday, when Surrey Police launched a manhunt to locate him.
Smith, who had been described by the police as white, bald, and clean-shaven, was last seen wearing a navy long-sleeve jumper with a Nike logo, navy blue Nike tracksuit bottoms, and black trainers. Despite the urgency of the manhunt, Smith contacted local news outlets to announce that he would surrender himself to the authorities.
Other Prisoner Releases and Security Concerns
The incident follows the mistaken release of 24-year-old Algerian national Brahim Kaddour Cherif, who was also wrongly freed from Wandsworth Prison earlier this week. Cherif, like Smith, had been involved in a high-profile case, but his whereabouts remain unknown.
The error comes on the heels of another major security lapse just five days prior, when Hadush Kebatu, a sex offender, was released by mistake from HMP Chelmsford. These consecutive errors have raised significant concerns regarding prison release protocols and sparked widespread public outcry.
In response to these incidents, David Lammy, the Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary, pledged that the Ministry of Justice would implement enhanced checks for prisoner releases to prevent such mistakes from occurring again. Lammy said the government would take “immediate action” to address the oversight and ensure tighter control over the release process.
Ongoing Investigation and Updates
Local News has reached out to the Ministry of Justice for further comments on the matter. The investigation into the series of mistaken releases continues, as the government seeks to address the public safety concerns raised by these incidents.
This story may be updated as more details emerge.
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