Police launch manhunt for ANOTHER prisoner released by mistake after he was allowed to leave jail while awaiting trial

Police launched a manhunt after another prisoner accidentally released him.

William Wenham was serving a two-year prison sentence and awaiting trial for aggravated burglary when he was mistakenly released from HMP Rochester on Tuesday, June 3 this year.

Wenham was convicted in his absence at Cambridge Crown Court on Friday, October 3, 2025, of burglary with intent to commit burglary.

Sussex Police said the 47-year-old man had links to Havant, Worthing, Brighton, Peterborough and the surrounding area.

This is the latest incident of a criminal being mistakenly released early from prison.

Last month, Epping migrant sex attacker Hadush Kebatu was mistakenly released from Chelmsford.

Kebatu was later arrested in Finsbury Park after a two-day manhunt.

Last week, it was revealed that two prisoners who were mistakenly released in 2024 were still at large.

The total number increased to four with the escape of two prisoners who were mistakenly released in June this year.

A fifth prisoner, Nigerian national Ola Abimbola, remains at large after allegedly leaving HMP Ford open prison on 10 October.

Meanwhile, Algerian sex offender Brahim Kaddour-Cherif was finally re-arrested last Friday after being mistakenly released from HMP Wandsworth nine days ago, sparking a massive police manhunt.

The 24-year-old, who was serving a sentence for trespassing with intent to steal and had previously been convicted of indecent exposure, was trapped by the police following a tip-off from a member of the public.

He was detained by officers in Finsbury Park, the same area where sex offender Hadush Kebatu was arrested after another mistake led to his mistaken release two weeks ago.

Another embarrassing gaffe involved an unnamed 34-year-old criminal who was mistakenly released from prison on Monday (November 34) and later arrested for stalking a woman.

On Tuesday, Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Minister David Lammy announced that authorities were still trying to determine whether the criminal remained at large after being released on November 3.

It was confirmed on Wednesday that he had been released in error but was detained overnight by Leicestershire Police eight days after his mistaken release.

Calling the missing prisoners ‘Lammy’s delay’, Robert Jenrick, a leading figure in the Conservative Party, said it was a ‘disgrace’ that the blunder led to the commission of a new crime.

Shadow Justice Secretary said: ‘A prisoner who escaped Lammy’s ‘strongest ever controls’ was accused of stalking hours later.

‘Shameful. People are being put at risk due to this crisis.

‘How many terrible things happened that David Lammy didn’t tell us about?’

He added: ‘This is shocking but not surprising.

‘David Lammy must now clarify how many prisoners have been charged with alleged crimes while on the run.’

This is breaking news, more to come.