Wandsworth Prison: What life is like at jail from where terror suspect Daniel Abed Khalife escaped
The escape of a terror suspect from Wandsworth Prison has triggered a nationwide manhunt.
Daniel Abed Khalife was awaiting trial at the south London jail on charges including preparing a bomb hoax and sharing information useful for terrorism.
The 21-year-old former soldier escaped on Wednesday morning during a shift in the prison kitchen, allegedly clinging to the underside of a food delivery van.
Read more: Fears grow as security stepped up – manhunt latest
Following its last inspection in June 2022, HMP Wandsworth was described as overcrowded and understaffed with increasing levels of violence. Here Sky News takes a closer look at what life is like for inmates and staff there.
Front gates
One of UK’s most overcrowded
HMP Wandsworth is a Category B men’s prison in southwest London, built in 1851.
It has an official capacity of around 1,600 across five wings, but inspections have consistently found it to be overcrowded with between 60% to 80% more inmates than it was designed for.
The most recent report by His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Prisons (HMCIP) said it “remains one of the most overcrowded prisons in the country with most prisoners sharing a cell built for one”.
National chairman of the Prison Officers’ Association (POA) Mark Fairhurst told Sky News that the last time he visited Wandsworth there were only 69 prison officers on duty for more than 1,600 inmates.
Category B means Wandsworth takes prisoners straight from local courts – who are either awaiting trial or have been sentenced – and ones that are long-term or high-security.
There is a Category C resettlement unit within Wandsworth where less violent inmates can work and study before they are released.
Aerial view of the prison estate
As well as bathroom and canteen facilities there is also a visiting hall, gym, sports hall, library, faith room, classrooms and workshops.
Prisoners have phones in their cells – although they cannot receive incoming calls.
Those with privileges are offered learning opportunities in barbering, catering, bike repair, gardening, construction and radio production.
According to the website prisoners also have the chance to join a choir, yoga and mindfulness classes.
Read more:
Calls for independent inquiry into escape
Why wasn’t he banged up in Belmarsh?
‘Dirty, graffiti covered cells with no windows’
The latest inspection of the prison was carried out in June 2022.
It found living conditions for prisoners to be “very poor”. They were often housed in “dirty, graffiti covered cells, some of which had no windows”.
Inspectors also described “cleaning cupboards being in disarray” and “large amounts of rubbish in exercise yards attracting vermin”. Piles of litter were also seen “on wings” and “thrown from cell windows”.
Cell with window. Pic: His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Prisons
Litter-strewn cell with toilet. Pic: His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Prisons
Prisoners on one wing had to shower in “squalid conditions”, with many inmates not having access to showers on a Friday.
The prison hospital “did not meet infection prevention and control standards”, but half of the mental health unit cells were in the process of being refurbished.
Rubbish thrown from cell windows. Pic: His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Prisons
Prisoners spent too much time in their cells, with more than half of the population unemployed, which meant they were locked up for 22 hours a day.
By contrast there weren’t enough work opportunities due to overcrowding and education attendance was poor.
Broken bench in the exercise yard. Pic: His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Prisons
‘Increased levels of violence’
Since the previous inspection in 2021, levels of violence had increased.
According to the inspector staff “lacked confidence in challenging poor behaviour on wings”.
Shower unit. Pic: His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Prisons
But they found that victims and perpetrators of crime within the prison were generally supported and leaders were implementing plans to improve safety.
While previously levels of force used by staff was described as concerning, there had been “substantial improvements” by mid-2022.
More prison officers were using their body-warn video cameras, but there still weren’t enough cameras to cover all areas of the prison.
Previously the facilities for foreign nationals were poor, with immigrant detainees spending too long at Wandsworth. But this had “improved significantly” by the time of the last inspection – with immigration officers working full-time with the support of two charities.
Healthcare cell. Pic: His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Prisons
Staff shortages ‘very high’
As a result of overcrowding, poor recruitment and retention, there were not enough members of staff per prisoner at Wandsworth at the time of the last inspection.
The inspector described “very high rates of non-effective staff”. The prison governor had left since the previous inspection and an interim one was in place.
In a statement after Khalife’s escape, general secretary of the Prison Officers’ Association (POA) Steve Gillan said: “Wandsworth is a typical example of what life is like for serving prison officers operating in a stressful and violent workplace with inadequate staff levels caring for over 1,600 prisoners at that establishment”.
His colleague Mr Fairhurst added that “chronic staffing shortages” and “lack of adequate training” has resulted in an “overcrowded” and “underresourced” jail.
Inside A wing
Notable inmates
As a remand prison in London, Wandsworth has been home to some well-known and infamous inmates over the years.
These include:
- Charles Bronson – long-term violent prisoner
- Julian Assange – Wikileaks founder and activist
- Pete Doherty – musician repeatedly arrested for drug offences
- Rolf Harris – late paedophile
- Max Clifford – late celebrity agent convicted of indecent assault
- Boris Becker – former tennis champion convicted on fraud charges
- Ronnie Biggs – Great Train robber who successfully escaped Wandsworth
- Ronnie Kray – late east London gangster
- Chris Huhne – former government minister jailed for perverting the course of justice over driving penalty points
Journalist and documentary maker Chris Atkins documented his time at Wandsworth in his book and podcast A Bit of A Stretch.
He served time for fraud and described overcrowded, violent and squalid conditions.
UK
MasterChef’s Gregg Wallace steps down as Kirsty Wark among 13 who claim he made inappropriate sexual jokes
MasterChef host Gregg Wallace has stepped down over allegations he made a series of inappropriate sexual comments on a range of programmes over 17 years.
Broadcaster Kirsty Wark is among 13 people who have made claims, with Wallace being investigated by MasterChef’s production company Banijay UK.
In an interview with the BBC, the Newsnight presenter, who was a celebrity contestant on MasterChef in 2011, claimed Wallace used “sexualised language”.
“There were two occasions in particular where he used sexualised language in front of a number of people and it wasn’t as if it was anyone engaged with this,” Wark said.
“It was completely one-way traffic. I think people were uncomfortable and something that I really didn’t expect to happen.”
Sky News has contacted Wallace’s representative for comment.
Kirsty Wark. File pic: PA
‘Fully cooperating’
Banijay UK said the complaints were made to the BBC this week by “individuals in relation to historical allegations of misconduct while working with Gregg Wallace on one of our shows”.
The company said the 60-year-old, who has been a co-presenter and judge of the popular cooking show since 2005, was “committed to fully cooperating throughout the process”.
“Whilst these complainants have not raised the allegations directly with our show producers or parent company Banijay UK, we feel that it is appropriate to conduct an immediate, external review to fully and impartially investigate,” the company said.
“While this review is under way, Gregg Wallace will be stepping away from his role on MasterChef and is committed to fully co-operating throughout the process.
“Banijay UK’s duty of care to staff is always a priority and our expectations regarding behaviour are made clear to both cast and crew on all productions, with multiple ways of raising concerns, including anonymously, clearly promoted on set.
“Whilst these are historical allegations, incidences brought to our attention where these expectations are not met, are thoroughly investigated and addressed appropriately.”
A BBC spokesman said: “We take any issues that are raised with us seriously and we have robust processes in place to deal with them.
“We are always clear that any behaviour which falls below the standards expected by the BBC will not be tolerated.
“Where an individual is contracted directly by an external production company we share any complaints or concerns with that company and we will always support them when addressing them.”
Previous investigation
Last month, Wallace responded to reports that a previous BBC review had found he could continue working at the corporation following reports of an alleged incident in 2018 when he appeared on Impossible Celebrities.
Wallace said those claims had been investigated “promptly” at the time and said he had not said “anything sexual” while appearing on the game show more than half a decade ago.
In an Instagram post following an article in The Sun newspaper, he wrote: “The story that’s hitting the newspapers was investigated promptly when it happened six years ago by the BBC.
“And the outcome of that was that I hadn’t said anything sexual. I’ll need to repeat this again. I didn’t say anything sexual.”
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Alongside MasterChef, Wallace presented Inside The Factory for BBC Two from 2015.
Wallace and Anne-Marie Sterpini in 2014. Pic: PA
Wallace has featured on various BBC shows over the years, including Saturday Kitchen, Eat Well For Less, Supermarket Secrets, Celebrity MasterChef and MasterChef: The Professionals, as well as being a Strictly Come Dancing contestant in 2014.
He was made an MBE for services to food and charity last year.
Recorded episodes of MasterChef: The Professionals featuring Wallace will be transmitted as planned, the PA news agency understands.
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