Wandsworth Prison: What life is like at jail from where terror suspect Daniel Abed Khalife escaped

Published

2 years ago

September 7, 2023

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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.

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.

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.

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.

‘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”.

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.

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.

‘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”.

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.

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.

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

Man ‘seen with weapons’ detained in Leeds after three injured

Published

3 hours ago

April 26, 2025

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Man 'seen with weapons' detained in Leeds after three injured

A man has been detained in Leeds after being “seen with weapons” and three people were left injured.

Police were called to Otley Road at 2.47pm on Saturday to reports of a “serious incident involving a man seen with weapons”, West Yorkshire Police said.

Officers arrived at the scene to find three people injured and a man was detained at the scene, the force said. The injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.

Inquiries are under way to establish the “wider circumstances” and a “number” of crime scenes remain in place, they added.

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UK

Wrexham promoted for third season in a row under Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney

Published

3 hours ago

April 26, 2025

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Wrexham promoted for third season in a row under Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney

Wrexham AFC have been promoted for the third season in a row.

The North Wales-based side has gone from the National League to the Championship in just three seasons, under its Hollywood owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.

Wrexham were second in the table and had a run of eight games unbeaten ahead of their match against Charlton Athletic on Saturday, which they won 3-0.

It is the first time any club has been promoted for three consecutive seasons within the top five tiers of English football.

The third oldest association football club in the world, Wrexham AFC was bought by Reynolds and McElhenney in 2020, and has since been the subject of a Disney+ documentary, Welcome To Wrexham.

Reynolds, wearing a Wrexham sweatshirt, and McElhenney were pictured celebrating each goal, and after the game, as the fans came onto the pitch at the SToK Cae Ras (Racecourse Ground) to celebrate the victory with the players.

Both stars came onto the pitch after the supporters returned to the stands.

Speaking to Sky Sports, McElhenney praised those behind the scenes, referring to “so many that don’t get the credit they deserve, people who aren’t talked about”.

Reynolds said bringing success back to the club “seemed like an impossible dream” when they arrived in North Wales in 2020.

He put the three promotions down to “the coaching staff, the greatest dressing room” and an “all for one, one for all” attitude throughout the club, adding he was “speechless with their commitment and their emotion”.

As for the mouth-watering prospect of another promotion to the promised land of the Premier League, the pair agreed it was “for tomorrow”, before ending the interview with a joint mic-drop.

Veteran striker Steven Fletcher said, “as soon as I came to this club, I knew it was something special. We want to go again. We’ll reset in the summer, take a break and go again”.

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Who was at the Pope’s funeral – and who wasn’t

Published

12 hours ago

April 26, 2025

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Who was at the Pope's funeral - and who wasn't

The Pope’s funeral is taking place today at St Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican.

A pope’s funeral traditionally brings world leaders together, and several were in attendance.

Watch full coverage of the Pope’s funeral live on Sky News from 8am

Here’s a look at the list.

Prince William

The Prince of Wales attended the funeral of Pope Francis on behalf of the King.

The King was in Rome with Queen Camilla earlier this month, and met the pontiff at the Vatican.

The trip came just a week-and-a-half after Buckingham Palace confirmed the King had been taken to hospital following side effects related to his ongoing cancer treatment.

Sir Keir Starmer

Number 10 confirmed the prime minister received an invite and so he attended the ceremony.

Speaking on Tuesday, Sir Keir said there had been “an outpouring of grief and love” for the Pope.

He added: “I think it reflects the high esteem in which he was held, not just by millions and millions of Catholics, but by many others, across the world, myself included.”

Donald Trump

The US president was one of the first to confirm he would be flying to Rome, adding he would be joined by first lady Melania Trump.

Writing on his social media platform Truth Social on Monday, he said: “Melania and I will be going to the funeral of Pope Francis, in Rome. We look forward to being there!”

The Pope had been critical of Mr Trump at times during his tenure.

In January, he said it would be a “disgrace” if the president went ahead with his crackdown on immigration, telling an Italian television station: “It would make the migrants, who have nothing, pay the unpaid bill.

“It doesn’t work. You don’t resolve problems this way.”

Volodymyr Zelenskyy

The Ukrainian president, who met the Pope three times, was also in attendance – and there was an outbreak of applause for him when he arrived.

Mr Zelenskyy has said his country is grieving the Pope and recalled how he often prayed for peace in Ukraine.

Emmanuel Macron

The French President Emmanuel Macron also attended the funeral with his wife Brigitte.

In his tribute on Monday, Mr Macron said of the Pope: “In this time of war and brutality, he had a sense for the other, for the most fragile.”

Giorgia Meloni

The Italian premier, along Argentine leader Javier Milei (below) had place of pride in the seating order for the service.

The Vatican is, of course, surrounded by the Italian capital Rome, while the Pope was born and grew up in Argentina and was once Archbishop of Buenos Aires.

Javier Milei

The president of Pope Francis’s native Argentina was also at the ceremony, despite having launched insults at Francis in recent years.

Before taking office in December 2023, the far-right politician called him “an imbecile, the representative of evil on Earth”.

Mr Milei alluded to their “differences” in his tribute to the late Pope, writing: “It is with profound sorrow that I learned this sad morning that Pope Francis, Jorge Bergoglio, passed away today and is now resting in peace.

“Despite differences that seem minor today, having been able to know him in his goodness and wisdom was a true honour for me.”

Joe Biden

Former US president Joe Biden, 82, was at the funeral with his wife Jill. The couple were seen taking their places in the bright sunshine prior to the service.

Mr Biden appeared to be getting some help to his seat, taking the arm of a member of the church.

Lula da Silva

The Brazilian president and first lady Janja Lula da Silva were also at the funeral.

Brazil had also declared a seven-day mourning period for the Pope.

“Humanity is today losing a voice of respect and welcome for others,” the president said in his tribute.

“Pope Francis lived and propagated in his daily life the love, tolerance and solidarity that are the basis of Christian
teachings.”

Ursula von der Leyen

The EU Commission President confirmed she was attending after calling Francis a worldwide inspiration.

“He inspired millions, far beyond the Catholic Church, with his humility and love so pure for the less fortunate,” she said in her tribute.

Council President Antonio Costa, Parliament President Roberta Metsola was also expected to be in attendance.

Here are some of the other notable attendees:

• Ireland’s taoiseach Micheal Martin
• Spain’s King Felipe and Queen Letizia
• Albanian president Bajram Begaj
• Angola’s president Joao Lourenco
• Austrian president Alexander Van der Bellen
• Bangladesh’s chief adviser and interim leader Muhammad Yunus
• Belgium’s King Philippe and Queen Mathilde, along with prime minister Bart De Wever
• Canada’s governor general Mary Simon
• Cape Verde president Jose Maria Neves
• Croatia’s president Zoran Milanovic
• Cyprian president Nikos Christodoulides
• Czech Republic’s prime minister Petr Fiala
• Democratic Republic of Congo president Felix Tshisekedi
• Dominican Republic’s president Luis Abinader
• East Timor’s president Jose Ramos-Horta
• Ecuador’s president Daniel Noboa
• Estonia’s president Alar Karis
• Finland’s president Alexander Stubb
• Gabon’s president Brice Oligui Nguema
• German president Frank-Walter Steinmeier and outgoing chancellor Olaf Scholz
• Greece’s prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis
• Honduras president Xiomara Castro
• Hungary’s president Tamas Sulyok
• Italy’s president Sergio Mattarella and prime minister Giorgia Meloni
• Latvian president Edgars Rinkevics
• Lithuanian president Gitanas Nauseda
• Moldova’s president Maia Sandu
• Netherlands’ prime minister Dick Schoof
• New Zealand’s prime minister Christopher Luxon
• Norway’s Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit
• The Philippines’ president Ferdinand Marcos Jr
• Poland’s president Andrzej Duda
• Portugal’s president Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa and prime minister Luis Montenegro
• Romania’s interim president Ilie Bolojan
• Sweden’s King Carl XVI Gustaf, Queen Silvia and prime minister Ulf Kristersson
• Switzerland’s president Karin Keller-Sutter

Who was not there?

Vladimir Putin

The Russian president did not attend the funeral.

But the controversial leader paid tribute to the Pope, writing a message to Cardinal Kevin Farrell, who is interim chief of the Catholic Church.

“Please accept my most sincere condolences on the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis,” Mr Putin said.

“Throughout the years of his pontificate, he actively promoted the development of dialogue between the Russian
Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches, as well as constructive cooperation between Russia and the Holy See.”

Benjamin Netanyahu

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also did not attend the ceremony, with the country’s ambassador Yaron Sideman going instead.

The Jewish state and the Vatican have had strong relations in the past, with Israel sending a presidential delegation to the funeral of Pope John Paul II in 2005, and Pope Francis visiting Israel in 2014.

But their relationship has deteriorated since the start of the war in Gaza.

A month after the conflict started in 2023, a dispute broke out over whether Pope Francis had used the word “genocide” to describe events in Gaza. Palestinians who met with him said he did, but the Vatican said he did not.

The Pope met relatives of Israeli hostages on the same day.

Israeli officials have since lobbied the Vatican to be more forceful in its condemnation of Hamas.

In January, the Pope called the humanitarian situation in Gaza “shameful”, prompting criticism from Rome’s chief rabbi, Riccardo Di Segni, who accused Francis of “selective indignation”.

Rabbi Di Segni said he would be attending the funeral, despite it taking place on the Jewish sabbath.

Was there a seating plan?

The seats were assigned in advance, with the heads of state sitting in French alphabetical order based on their country’s name, rather than on the individual’s.

This applied to everyone apart from the presidents of Italy and Argentina, who got the best seats because the Pope lived in Italy and was an Argentinian native.