The escape of a suspected terrorist from HMP Wandsworth last week proves the point that critics of English and Welsh prisons have been making for some time with rising desperation. Overcrowded, dirty jails with demoralised staff are unable to fulfil their purpose of rehabilitating prisoners. They are also a danger to inmates, staff and the public. Daniel Khalife, who was on the run for four days, was recaptured in west London on Saturday. Alex Chalk, the justice secretary, has ordered an investigation into how the former British soldier managed to flee by strapping himself to the bottom of a catering delivery truck. Sir Mark Rowley, the Metropolitan police chief, believes the escape must have been planned, possibly with help from inside the prison, and 150 counter-terrorism officers were involved in the search.
It seems likely that mistakes were made in Wandsworth, and individuals may be culpable. The placement of a man accused of involvement in espionage in a category B prison, rather than at high-security Belmarsh, will be examined. So will the decision to employ him in the kitchen – a “plum job” usually offered to prisoners serving long sentences, according to John Podmore, a former governor. But Mr Chalk’s promise to leave no stone unturned and find out “who was on duty” did not inspire confidence. Instead, the panicked ministerial reaction was a disturbing example of locking the stable door after the horse has bolted.
