Migrant Sex Offender Receives 26-Week Sentence for Police Assault
A migrant sex offender who was mistakenly released from prison last year has been handed a 26-week prison sentence for punching and biting two police officers in a violent confrontation at a London Underground station. Brahim Kaddour-Cherif, a 24-year-old Algerian national, was at the centre of a manhunt in November 2025 after being erroneously set free from HMP Wandsworth.
Background of the Accidental Release
At the time of his release, Kaddour-Cherif was supposed to be held in custody awaiting trial for multiple offences. He had been overstaying his visa in the UK since 2020 and was convicted in 2024 for exposing himself in a London park, making him a registered sex offender. His accidental freedom was one of several such incidents last year that triggered a crisis within the Labour government and prompted calls for stricter security measures in the prison system.
Details of the Assault Incident
The assault occurred on July 20, 2025, at Blackhorse Road Underground station in east London. Off-duty police officer Pc Bradley Glynn noticed Kaddour-Cherif taking a mobile phone from a sleeping Tube passenger. Pc Glynn intervened by snatching the handset from Kaddour-Cherif's pocket and returning it to the owner, then ordering the would-be thief to leave the train.
Prosecutor Kevin Kendridge explained that Pc Glynn saw Kaddour-Cherif leave the train but stand next to the doors on the platform, suggesting he intended to reboard. "He shouted the word 'thief' to attract attention, hoping the defendant would go away," said Mr Kendridge. Kaddour-Cherif responded by punching Pc Glynn to the left side of his head with a closed fist, leading to a physical altercation.
Pc Jason Norton, who was on duty at the station, joined the scuffle to defend his colleague as Kaddour-Cherif threw several punches. "Together they tried to take control of the defendant, but he managed to punch Pc Glynn again and also bite him," the prosecutor stated. Kaddour-Cherif then slammed Pc Norton against a wall and dug his face into the officer's arm, prompting Pc Norton to shout, "don't bite me."
Court Proceedings and Sentencing
At Highbury Corner Magistrates' Court, images of bite marks left on one officer's arm were presented as evidence. Pc Norton expressed distress and fear of contracting an illness from the bite. In a hearing earlier in January, Kaddour-Cherif pleaded guilty to two charges of assaulting an emergency worker but claimed he did not know the men were police officers at the time.
Magistrate Elizabeth Robb imposed a 26-week prison sentence, describing the assaults as "serious, prolonged and quite nasty." She also ordered Kaddour-Cherif to pay £154 in compensation to the officers he attacked. Appearing via videolink from HMP Pentonville, Kaddour-Cherif launched into a rant, accusing his lawyer of not reading a prepared statement and claiming, "How could I fight two guys? It was two on one. I'm not that strong. They are lying." He also alleged he had been attacked and stabbed in prison.
Broader Criminal History and Immigration Status
Kaddour-Cherif has accumulated a string of criminal convictions, including past incidents of assaulting emergency workers. His accidental release on October 29, 2025, occurred after he was found not guilty of breaching sex offender register requirements. Prison authorities failed to realise he should have remained in custody to await trial for burgling a garage in Walthamstow to steal bikes on January 6, 2024.
The error was only discovered when court officials tried to arrange a prison videolink for a hearing in early November and were informed he had been released. At that time, Kaddour-Cherif was also awaiting trial for carrying a knife in Earlswood and had just been charged with handling stolen goods related to bank cards of two women.
He was re-arrested by Metropolitan Police officers on November 7, 2025, near Finsbury Park following a tip-off from the public. After returning to custody, Kaddour-Cherif, who resides in Whitechapel, east London, pleaded guilty to burglary, knife offences, and failing to surrender to court. He received a 188-day sentence this week, which he has already served, and is now in Home Office custody at the prison, where he is due to be questioned again about his asylum claim.
Kaddour-Cherif has denied the charge of handling stolen goods and is scheduled to stand trial next month at Croydon Magistrates' Court. This case underscores ongoing concerns about prison security and the handling of offenders with complex immigration and criminal backgrounds.
