Daniel Khalife: Investigation into whether prison was understaffed when terror suspect escaped | Politics News

The government has officially launched an independent investigation into how terror suspect Daniel Khalife was able to escape from Wandsworth prison.

The investigation will look at several issues including whether the relevant protocols were in place and applied correctly, whether there was sufficient staffing and whether Khalife was held in the right category of prison.

Keith Bristow QPM, former director general of the National Crime Agency, has been appointed to lead the investigation.

Justice Secretary Alex Chalk confirmed the appointment on Twitter and that he wanted the findings to be published “promptly”.

Khalife, a former soldier, is suspected to have escaped from Wandsworth prison on 6 September by strapping himself to the underside of the truck to make his escape.

He had been working in the prison kitchen and was wearing a cook’s uniform when he disappeared.

His escape prompted a 75-hour manhunt before he was eventually arrested and recaptured in a London suburb.

On Monday Khalife appeared in court charged with escaping from lawful custody on 6 September. He is accused of using bedsheets to strap himself under the food truck to escape from the category B prison.

Sky News understands he is now being held at Belmarsh, a category A jail.

In the terms of reference for the investigation, published by the Ministry of Justice (MOJ), Mr Bristow will be asked to consider, among other things:

• Whether the relevant protocols were in place at Wandsworth and there was the means to apply them

• Whether there was sufficient staffing in place

• Risk assessments and decisions about employment in the prison

• How Khalife was able to access the materials that facilitated his escape

• Security measures including checks on the delivery vehicle that he used for his escape

In his previous roles Mr Bristow was the former head of crime for the Association of Chief Police Officers and former Chief Constable of Warwickshire Police.

When he completes his report it will be sent to Mr Chalk and the leading civil servant at the MOJ, Antonio Romeo.

The MOJ said: “Public protection is of the utmost importance and the purpose of the investigation is to identify shortcomings and ensure lessons are learned to help prevent incidents of this nature occurring again in the future.”