Minister Alex Chalk on prisoner who escaped Wandsworth prison
Minister Alex Chalk on prisoner who escaped Wandsworth prison
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00:00 Daniel Khalif was remanded in custody at HMP Wandsworth on 28 January this year, having
00:07 been charged with offences alleged to have taken place in 2021 while he was serving in
00:11 the armed forces. As you, Madam Deputy Speaker, have already indicated, the House will understand
00:17 that while there is a live criminal investigation in progress, there are limits on what I can
00:21 properly say. Daniel Khalif will be caught in due course and will face a trial. Nothing
00:26 should be said in this House or elsewhere that might prejudice those proceedings.
00:32 So let me assist the House with what I can say. At approximately 7.30 yesterday morning,
00:37 a vehicle which had made a delivery to the prison's kitchen left HMP Wandsworth. Shortly
00:43 afterwards, local contingency plans for an unaccounted prisoner were activated and, in
00:48 line with standard procedure, the police were informed. The prison was put into a state
00:53 of lockdown while staff attempted to determine Daniel Khalif's whereabouts. The vehicle
00:59 was stopped and searched by police after the alert was raised. Strapping was found underneath
01:04 the vehicle, which appeared to indicate that Daniel Khalif may have held on to the underside
01:08 of it in order to escape. The search is under way. His Majesty's Prison and Probation Service
01:14 are giving every assistance to the Metropolitan Police's operation to recapture Daniel Khalif
01:18 and return him to custody. As has been made clear by the Metropolitan Police, there is
01:23 no reason to believe he poses a threat to the wider public.
01:28 Yesterday when I was first briefed on this grave security breach, I spoke to the Governor
01:32 of HMP Wandsworth and senior HMPPS leaders to establish what was known about the escape
01:38 and seek assurances about the immediate measures being taken to ensure the security of the
01:42 prison. I made clear then, and I reiterate now, that no stone must be left unturned in
01:49 getting to the bottom of what happened. Who was on duty that morning? In what roles? Ranging
01:55 from the kitchen to the prison gate, what protocols were in place? Were they followed?
02:01 Second, I have ordered an investigation into the categorisation decision by HMPPS. Were
02:07 all relevant matters taken into consideration in determining where in the custodial estate
02:12 Daniel Khalif should be held? In both cases, I have asked for the preliminary findings
02:16 to be with me by the end of this week, and an assessment will be made then about what
02:21 can properly be put into the public domain. I have also decided there will need to be
02:26 an additional independent investigation into this incident, and that will take place in
02:30 due course.
02:32 I want to turn to the wider prisoner cohort held by HMPPS. In light of these events, I
02:39 have ordered two urgent reviews. First, into the placement and categorisation of everyone
02:45 held in HMP Wandsworth, and second, into the location of all those in the custodial estate
02:52 charged with terrorism offences.
02:55 Let me turn now to the issue of prison security. As the House will no doubt be aware, escapes
03:01 from prison are extremely rare, and the numbers have declined substantially in the last 10
03:06 to 15 years. This has been due in considerable part to sustained investment in improved physical
03:12 and intelligence security. That includes investment of £100 million in the period since 2019
03:18 on measures such as enhanced gate security with X-ray body scanners, which has driven
03:22 up the fines of drugs, weapons and other contraband, including tools that could be used to aid
03:28 an escape from prison.
03:30 HMPPS has also enhanced intelligence and anti-corruption operations in prison, working more closely
03:35 than ever with partners, including the intelligence agencies. This has involved productive initiatives
03:40 such as setting up the joint counter-terrorism prisons and probation hub.
03:45 Madam Deputy Speaker, Daniel Khalif will be found and he will be made to face justice.