Dozens of prisoners released by mistake in Scotland over past four years
The Scottish Prison Service said it was ‘open and transparent’ when errors occur
A total of 27 prisoners have been mistakenly released from Scottish prisons in recent years, official figures show.
The Scottish Prison Service (SPS) confirmed the statistics as a manhunt continues in England for two criminals released in error.
Police are trying to track down Algerian national Brahim Kaddour-Cherif, 24, mistakenly released from HMP Wandsworth on October 29.
Another prisoner, Billy Smith, 35, who was also accidentally freed from the same prison on Monday, has handed himself back in.
Asked by The Scotsman, the SPS said there had been 27 “liberations in error” since 2022/23.
These included eight in 2022/23, seven in 2023/24, nine in 2024/25 and three so far this financial year, up to October 22.
It is understood many of the errors occur due to complications around warrants, which are still paper-based.
None of those released by mistake remain unlawfully at large.
An SPS spokesman said: “We work closely with the Scottish Courts and Tribunal Service to ensure individuals are managed correctly and in accordance with their warrants.
“Where errors do occur – in a very small minority of cases – we are open and transparent and work with Police Scotland to ensure they are returned to custody.”
Scottish Conservative community safety spokeswoman Sharon Dowey said: “Scots will be furious that dangerous prisoners are accidentally being released on the SNP’s watch.
“These shocking mistakes are a disgraceful betrayal of victims, who have already had to cope with SNP ministers releasing dangerous offenders back into our communities without serving their sentences in full.
“The SNP’s relentless weakening of Scotland’s justice system is putting public safety at risk. We will continue to stand on the side of ordinary Scots, who expect prisoners to serve their sentences in full.”
It comes as MSPs passed new regulations to free hundreds of offenders from jail early.
Justice Secretary Angela Constance previously said the regulations – which will see prisoners released in phases starting from next week – are “essential right now” and would provide “critical relief” from the problem of overcrowding.
Convicts serving sentences of less than four years, who are within 180 days of their original release date can now be considered to be freed early.
However, the regulations make clear anyone serving a sentence for sexual offences or domestic abuse will not be eligible for early release – with prison governors also able to veto an inmate’s release if they believe them to pose a risk.
According to figures published in July, 262 prisoners were released in error in England and Wales in the year to March 2025 – a 128 per cent increase on 115 in the previous 12 months. Of these, 233 were from prisons and 29 were released in error by courts.
The UK government promised the “strongest checks ever” and an independent investigation led by Dame Lynne Owens in the wake of a blunder last month which saw Epping hotel migrant Hadush Kebatu accidentally released.
Kebatu, a migrant sex offender, was released in error from HMP Chelmsford instead of being sent to an immigration detention centre, triggering a two-day manhunt. The UK government confirmed last week he had been deported back to Ethiopia.