Peston: Why wasn’t Kaddour-Cherif deported?

Brahim Kaddour-Cherif, the Algerian sex offender mistakenly released from HMP Wandsworth, had overstayed his visa. However, he was not deported due to complications in how visa regulations interact with the criminal justice system—an issue likely to concern MPs.

Explanation from Official Sources

Kaddour-Cherif remained in the UK because there were ongoing criminal proceedings against him. The government generally does not deport individuals while criminal cases are active, unless there is cooperation between the police and the Crown Prosecution Service.

“The government does not remove or deport people while criminal proceedings are ongoing, unless there is agreement with the police and Crown Prosecution Service.”

Deportation Threshold Not Met

None of Kaddour-Cherif’s sentences reached the threshold for automatic deportation, which requires a custodial sentence of 12 months or more. Despite this, initial deportation proceedings, known as stage one notifications, were initiated earlier in the year because his repeated offenses were considered harmful to the public interest.

Criminal Record Details

Convicted in November 2024 for indecent exposure
Sentenced to an 18-month community order
Placed on the sex offenders register

“His repeat offending history was seen as contrary to the public good.”

These factors prompted the start of deportation procedures, although he was not automatically deported due to the legal constraints described.

Summary: Kaddour-Cherif was not deported because his sentences did not meet the automatic deportation criteria, and ongoing criminal proceedings prevented removal despite his visa overstay and repeated offenses.

ITVX — 2025-11-06