Number of prisoners released in error at record highpublished at 11:39 GMT
11:39 GMT
Lucy Gilder
BBC Verify journalist
Convicted sex offender Hadush Kebatu is one of hundreds of criminals to have been mistakenly released by the justice system in recent years.
These cases are different from an escape, which is when a prisoner intends to run from authorities.
There were 262 “releases in error” in England and Wales in the year ending March 2025, according to the latest Ministry of Justice (MoJ) figures. , external
This is the highest on record and up 128% on the year before. It’s also much higher than a decade ago, when 49 prisoners were mistakenly released.
The MoJ says these releases in error from prison or courts can happen because of “misplaced warrants for imprisonment or remand, recall notices not acted upon, sentence miscalculation or discharging the wrong person on escort”.
Chief Inspector of Prisons Charlie Taylor told the BBC’s Today programme one major factor is how busy prisons are with “incredibly high” turnover of prisoners going to court, being transferred to other jails or being released.
He also suggested that confusion caused by various early release schemes and inexperienced staff taking on large caseloads are to blame.
