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Prison escape of Daniel Khalife

On 6 September 2023 Daniel Abed Khalife, a former British Army soldier who was on remand awaiting trial on terrorism charges, escaped from HM Prison Wandsworth in London. The escape triggered a nationwide police search and delays at major transport hubs. Khalife is believed to have escaped by attaching himself to the underside of a food delivery lorry whilst he was working in the prison's kitchen. After three days as a fugitive, he was captured by the Metropolitan Police in Northolt, Greater London.

Prison escape of Daniel Khalife
HMP Wandsworth, the prison in which Khalife was being held
Date6 September 2023
TimeApproximately 7:30 am (BST)
LocationHM Prison Wandsworth, Wandsworth, London

Background of Daniel Khalife

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Daniel Abed Khalife was born on 27 September 2001 in London[1][2] to an Iranian-born mother.[3] He formerly lived in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames.[2] He attended Teddington School, a comprehensive school in Teddington, Greater London, where he was a talented runner.[4] He left school in 2018.[2]

Khalife joined the army in 2018[5] or 2019.[6] He was a network engineer serving with the Royal Corps of Signals,[7] and was based at Beacon Barracks, Stafford.[8][2] He was discharged from the army in May 2023, following the charges relating to terrorism and breaking the Official Secrets Act.[2]

Initial charges and imprisonment

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In August 2021, Khalife was arrested on suspicion of breaching the Official Secrets Act and was bailed and allowed to return to his army base.[2] In January 2023, he was charged with terror and explosives offences and remanded to HM Prison Wandsworth, a Category B men's prison, to await his trial.[9] The offences related to two incidents in Staffordshire, one in August 2021 and one in January 2023.[9]

Khalife appeared before Westminster Magistrates' Court on 7 February 2023 where details of the accusations were set out, including that he left canisters with wires at MOD Stafford on 2 January 2023 with the intent of "inducing in another the belief the item was likely to explode or ignite" and that he had accessed the Joint Personnel Administration to elicit personal information about soldiers "likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism" in 2021.[10] These offences were contrary to section 51 of the Criminal Law Act 1977 and contrary to section 58A of the Terrorism Act 2000 respectively.[11] On 21 July, Khalife appeared at the Old Bailey and pleaded not guilty to charges under the Official Secrets Act and the Terrorism Act.[12][13] His trial was due to begin on 13 November 2023.[6]

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A Bidfood food delivery truck similar to the one used in the escape

On 6 September 2023 Khalife escaped from HM Prison Wandsworth in south west London where he was being held on remand.[14][8] He was said to have been working in the prison kitchen and was wearing a chef's uniform consisting of a white t-shirt, red and white chequered trousers and brown steel-toe cap boots.[13] The Metropolitan Police (Met) believe that Khalife escaped by hiding beneath a food delivery van using a material which was "made from bedsheets with clips at each end".[15][14][16] A food supply vehicle had left the prison at 7:30 am and contingency plans for an "unaccounted prisoner" were activated at 7:50 am, including the lockdown of the prison and informing the police.[17] At 8:37 am, police stopped the food van in East Putney, and discovered strapping—possibly made from bedsheets—beneath the vehicle.[16][18]

Khalife's escape sparked a police search, and additional security checks at British airports and ports.[19] During the night of 7/8 September, Richmond Park, the largest park in Greater London, was closed while the Met undertook a search; this included using helicopters with infra-red technology to search for body heat.[20] The Met said that 150 officers were involved in the search, in addition to police from other forces and members of the Border Force.[21] From 8 September, a reward of up to £20,000 was offered for information leading to Khalife's arrest.[22]

At 5 pm on 8 September, police confirmed a sighting of Khalife in southwest London on the morning of the escape. They stated that a man fitting Khalife's description was seen walking away from a Bidfood van near Wandsworth Roundabout shortly after his escape; the man then walked towards Wandsworth town centre.[23]

Capture and subsequent charges

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On the morning of 9 September, Metropolitan Police reported that Khalife had been sighted overnight in the Chiswick area of London.[24]

A plain-clothed officer was informed that Khalife had been seen on a bicycle on the Grand Union Canal towpath near Rowdell Road in Northolt. The officer attended, drew his Taser, and told Khalife to get off the bicycle.[15][25][26] Khalife was arrested at 10:41 am on suspicion of being unlawfully at large and escaping lawful custody,[26] approximately 14 miles (23 km) from Wandsworth prison.[25][26] In his possession was a mobile phone and a bag containing money and receipts which suggested that he had purchased clothes and credit for the mobile phone.[15]

On 10 September the Metropolitan Police confirmed Khalife had been charged with escaping from lawful custody in relation to escaping from HMP Wandsworth.[27][18] He appeared before Westminster Magistrates Court on 11 September, where he was remanded in custody until 29 September when he will appear at the Old Bailey.[18] Following the hearing he was taken from court to the Category A Belmarsh Prison.[28] On 21 September Khalife appeared in court from Belmarsh Prison via videolink and pleaded not guilty to escaping from lawful custody.[29][30] On 21 December a new trial date was set to begin from 7 October 2024.[31] On 11 November 2024, Khalife changed his plea to guilty for the charge of escaping lawful custody.[32]

Reaction

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On 7 September 2023 Alex Chalk MP, the Justice Secretary, ordered an investigation into the escape with a preliminary report being requested to be ready by the end of the week. This will include investigating the vehicle in question, whether other prisoners could enact a similar escape, and how Khalife was assigned to the kitchen, usually a valued job given to trusted prisoners, where he had access to knives and a potential escape route.[33] On 8 September Sir Mark Rowley, Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, described the escape as "clearly pre-planned", and that the police were investigating whether he was assisted in his escape by other prisoners, prison officers, or people from outside the prison.[20]

The chief prison inspector, Charlie Taylor, said that there are "too many prisoners in Wandsworth for the amount of staff who are there". Inspectors also stated that "more than 30% of prison officers were either absent or unable to work their full duties."[34] On 9 May 2024 Taylor wrote to the Secretary of State for Justice to urge him to put the prison into emergency measures after an inspection raised concerns about ongoing failings in security at Wandsworth.[35]

On 10 September 2023 Chalk confirmed that approximately 40 inmates had been transferred from Wandsworth following a review after Khalife's escape from the prison.[36]

On 15 September figures published by the Ministry of Justice indicated that 80 prison officers (around 39% of the workforce) did not turn up for work at Wandsworth Prison on the morning of Khalife's escape. The UK government said staffing levels were "above the minimum" needed.[37]

References

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  1. ^ "Appeal to trace man escaped from HMP Wandsworth". news.met.police.uk. Metropolitan Police. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Evans, Martin; Hymas, Charles; Sawer, Patrick (6 September 2023). "Escaped terror suspect may be trying to flee country". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 7 September 2023. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  3. ^ "Ex-soldier accused of spying for Iran 'gathered names of special forces'", BBC News, 9 October 2024
  4. ^ "Who is Daniel Khalife: Profile of escaped prisoner". BBC News. 8 September 2023.
  5. ^ Evans, Holly; Gregory, Andy (8 September 2023). "All we know about Daniel Khalife - Royal Signals soldier on the run from prison". Independent. Archived from the original on 8 September 2023. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
  6. ^ a b "Escaped prisoner Daniel Khalife still on the run". BBC News. 7 September 2023. Archived from the original on 7 September 2023. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  7. ^ "Daniel Khalife arrested by police in Chiswick, west London". BBC News. 8 September 2023. Archived from the original on 9 September 2023. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  8. ^ a b Vaughan, Henry; Robinson, James (6 September 2023). "Daniel Abed Khalife: Terror suspect escapes Wandsworth Prison". Sky News. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
  9. ^ a b "Serving member of British Army charged with terror and explosives offences". Sky News. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
  10. ^ "British Army serviceman appears in court charged with terror offences". BBC News. 7 February 2023. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
  11. ^ "British army member accused of 'bomb hoax' appears in court". The Guardian. 28 January 2023. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
  12. ^ "What's on at the Old Bailey on July 21". Old Bailey Insight & Legal London. 20 July 2023. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
  13. ^ a b Evans, Holly (6 September 2023). "Soldier accused of planting fake bombs escapes from prison clinging to delivery van". Independent. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
  14. ^ a b "Hunt for terror suspect ex-soldier Daniel Khalife after Wandsworth prison escape". BBC News. 6 September 2023. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
  15. ^ a b c "Daniel Khalife: Terror suspect may have used bedsheet to escape, court hears". BBC News. 11 September 2023. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
  16. ^ a b "Reward offered as the search for Daniel Abed Khalife continues". news.met.police.uk. Metropolitan Police. 8 September 2023. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  17. ^ Hamilton, Fiona; Dathan, Matt; Gardham, Duncan; Woode, David (7 September 2023). "Daniel Khalife: Wandsworth prison faces inquiry into terror suspect escape". The Times. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  18. ^ a b c Sandford, Daniel; Wilkinson, Helena (11 September 2023). "Daniel Khalife: Terror suspect may have used bed-sheet to escape, court hears". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
  19. ^ Booth, Robert (6 September 2023). "Ex-soldier accused of terrorism flees London prison, sparking police hunt". The Guardian. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
  20. ^ a b "Daniel Khalife: Police search Richmond Park for terror suspect". BBC News. 8 September 2023. Archived from the original on 8 September 2023. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
  21. ^ Cobham, Tara; Singh, Namita (8 September 2023). "Daniel Khalife: Escape 'pre-planned', says Met chief as police search Richmond Park". Independent. Archived from the original on 8 September 2023. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
  22. ^ "Daniel Khalife: Sighting of escaped prisoner reported to Met Police". BBC News. 8 September 2023. Archived from the original on 8 September 2023. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
  23. ^ "Daniel Khalife: Confirmed sighting of escaped terror suspect, police say". Sky News. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
  24. ^ "Daniel Khalife: Police confirm new sightings in Chiswick, west London". BBC News. 9 September 2023. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  25. ^ a b McLoughlin, Bill (9 September 2023). "Terror suspect Daniel Khalife arrested in Chiswick". Evening Standard. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  26. ^ a b c Kleiderman, Alex (9 September 2023). "Escaped terror suspect Daniel Khalife arrested in north-west London". BBC News. London: BBC. Archived from the original on 9 September 2023. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  27. ^ Jones, Harrison (10 September 2023). "Daniel Khalife charged over Wandsworth prison escape". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
  28. ^ Vaughan, Henry (11 September 2023). "Daniel Khalife escaped prison using material which may have been from bed sheets, court hears". Sky News. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
  29. ^ "Daniel Khalife pleads not guilty to Wandsworth prison escape". BBC News. 21 September 2023. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
  30. ^ Media, P. A. (21 September 2023). "Daniel Khalife pleads not guilty to escaping custody at Wandsworth prison". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
  31. ^ Emily, Pennink (21 December 2023). "Former soldier Daniel Khalife to face trial next autumn on Iran spying charge". Evening Standard. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
  32. ^ "Daniel Khalife changes plea to guilty on prison escape charge". BBC News. 11 November 2024. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
  33. ^ "Daniel Khalife: How did terror suspect break out of jail?". BBC News. 7 September 2023. Archived from the original on 7 September 2023. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  34. ^ Sabbagh, Dan (7 September 2023). "Prison break: how Daniel Khalife went from smiling soldier to suspected spy on the run". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  35. ^ Vaughan, Henry (9 May 2024). "Wandsworth prison needs 'urgent improvement' eight months on from alleged Daniel Khalife escape, watchdog says". Sky News. Retrieved 12 May 2024.
  36. ^ Jones, Harrison (10 September 2023). "Daniel Khalife: About 40 inmates moved from Wandsworth prison after escape". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
  37. ^ "Eighty prison staff absent on day Daniel Khalife escaped". BBC News. BBC. 15 September 2023. Retrieved 15 September 2023.
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