What is the security category of Wandsworth Prison?

The escapee, who was awaiting trial for terror and Official Secrets Act offences, is alleged to have escaped the prison by clinging to the bottom of a food truck.

A nationwide manhunt is now underway with with police urging the public to not approach him if they see him out in public.

Met Police appeals to public to locate escaped prisoner Daniel Abed Khalife

With so many questions about Danel Abed Khalife‘s escape, here is the security level at the prison and everything else there is to know.

Where is Wandsworth Prison?

HMP Wandsworth is located in the South London borough of Wandsworth and is one of the largest prisons operating in the UK.

Who is the current governor of Wandsworth Prison?

According to the UK Government website, the current governor of HMP Wandsworth is Katie Price.

How many prisoners are held at Wandsworth Prison?

Wandsworth Prison has an inmate population of around 1562 as of September 2023.

The facility is an adult male-only prison and was built in 1851 – 172 years ago.

Wandsworth was also the site of some 135 executions between 1878 and 1961.

The last person to be executed there was Francis Forsyth who was executed at the age of 18 for the murder of Allan Edward John Jee.

HMP Wandsworth has a category B security level (Yui Mok/PA Wire) (Image: Yui Mok/PA Wire)

What is HMP Wandsworth’s prison category?

The UK Government website states that prisons are categorised between A and D for their level of security.

Category A prisons are “high security” and house male prisoners who, if they were to escape, “pose the most threat to the public”.

On the other end of the scale are D-class facilities which are open prisons with minimal security.

Prisoners here spend most of their day away from the prison to carry out work and education.

Wandsworth is a B-class prison, meaning it houses prisoners taken directly from court in the local area (sentenced or on remand).