How Did Daniel Khalife Escape from HMP Wandsworth? Security Questions Arise
The Daniel Khalife escape from HMP Wandsworth has raised significant security questions regarding the prison’s procedures and safeguards.
While the Ministry of Justice is unlikely to publicly disclose all details of the escape, what is known about the incident is concerning.
Wandsworth prison,
known for its Victorian architecture, consists of wings extending from two central hubs named Heathfield and Trinity. The kitchens, where Khalife concealed himself, are situated between these wings and are located near the main security perimeter and gatehouse. This placement is typical for kitchens, allowing for daily deliveries and minimizing vehicle movements within the prison.
Vehicles delivering goods to Wandsworth pass through two gates, entering a secure pen area. This is where thorough security checks, including searching under vehicles with mirrors, checking the vehicle’s top and interior, occur. Only after clearing these checks do vehicles move through a second gate and into a sterile zone, another secure pen between the outer prison walls and the inner security fencing. Surveillance and restricted access should be enforced in this area.
The third gate, between the sterile zone and the inner fencing, marks the point where vehicles can potentially be accessible to prisoners. However, further security gates exist beyond the kitchen block to prevent unauthorized access.
Khalife evaded detection on at least two specific occasions during his escape: as the vehicle he hid under passed through the two pens and three gates. It remains undisclosed how long he remained hidden under the vehicle before it departed.
Additional questions arise regarding the escape:
- How did Khalife obtain something strong enough to hold his weight?
- How long did it take for him to strap himself underneath the vehicle?
- How long was he undetected before the vehicle left?
- Did he exploit a specific design feature of the vehicle to hide?
- Was there assistance from the inside?
Khalife’s position
Khalife’s position as a remand prisoner facing serious charges while holding a position in the prison’s kitchens, a role usually reserved for reliable and trustworthy inmates, adds to the mystery. The presence of knives and potentially dangerous equipment in the kitchens raises questions about why someone facing terrorism charges was allowed to work there.
Justice Secretary Alex Chalk has called for answers about the individuals responsible for the kitchens and the gatehouse and the security protocols they followed. A preliminary report is expected, followed by an independent inquiry.For more updates visit the dailycourierng