Deputy PM says government is ‘modernising’ prison systems as one of two mistakenly released inmates turns himself in
Billy Smith, 35, who was mistakenly released from Wandsworth prison on Monday, has handed himself back in, PA Media reports. The release of someone like Smith, a convicted fraudster, would not normally make the news, but he was let out of Wandsworth prison only a few days after the Algerian sex offender referenced at PMQs yesterday, which is why his return to jail gets the PA snap news alert treatment.
David Lammy, the deputy PM and justice secretary, has welcomed the fact that Billy Smith is back in custody, but described the spike in release mistakes as “unacceptable”.
According to PA Media, Lammy said:
William Smith is back in custody. The spike in mistaken releases is unacceptable.
