As a former inmate of HMP Wandsworth, I can’t say I’m surprised that a prisoner, Daniel Khalife, has escaped. When I was jailed there in 2020, I saw for myself that Wandsworth is understaffed, poorly-managed and often so badly organised that it loses track of prisoners for extended periods of time. Last year’s report by HM Inspector of Prisons shows that the situation has only deteriorated since.
The inspectors describe a prison with ‘not enough staff to make sure prisoners received even the most basic regime’. When this inspection took place, Wandsworth’s population was 1,364. The report warned against increasing the prison’s population but according to the Ministry of Justice’s last published figures, Wandsworth’s population has risen to 1,550.
As the staffing crisis in our prison system worsens, other prisoners will have opportunities to escape
That population is an unusual mix. About half the prisoners are foreign nationals awaiting extradition, while many of the rest are being held on remand awaiting trial or sentencing.
Comments
Join the debate for just $5 for 3 months
Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for $5.
UNLOCK ACCESS Just $5 for 3 monthsAlready a subscriber? Log in