Wrongly freed sex offender admits biting police

A convicted sex offender whose accidental release from prison caused a national storm has admitted biting two off-duty police officers.

Brahim Kaddour-Cherif, 24, was at the centre of a manhunt in November after he was mistakenly set free from HMP Wandsworth, south-west London.

The Algerian national, who has been overstaying his visa in the UK since 2020, was convicted in 2024 for exposing himself in a London park, making him a convicted sex offender.

At Highbury Corner Magistrates' Court, Kaddour-Cherif admitted assaulting two police officers at Blackhorse Road Underground station, east London, on 20 July.

His pleas come ahead of his sentencing for other offences, including burglary, at Snaresbrook Crown Court later this month.

Prosecutor Deborah Kol said police officers Jason Norton and Bradley Glynn had separately spotted Kaddour-Cherif attempting to take phones from two London Underground passengers.

It was a coincidence that both officers, unknown to each other and not in uniform, were on the train at the same time.

One member of the public was asleep when he tried to take their device, she told the court.

Glynn intervened and told him to return the mobile phone.

They exited the carriage to the platform and a "scuffle" ensued in which Glynn called for help and attempted to arrest the defendant, Kol said.

Norton came to Glynn's aid and both officers tried to restrain Kaddour-Cherif.

He then bit them both.

The officers called for assistance and Kaddour-Cherif was arrested and taken away.

Their injuries required cleaning and a week's course of penicillin, the prosecutor said.

Defending Kaddour-Cherif, Jeffrey Shine said: "I know in the statements there's a suggestion that one of the officers produced his warrant card, but (Kaddour-Cherif) doesn't recall and had he known they were police officers he wouldn't have got involved in the scuffle."

He added: "He does apologise."

Magistrates decided they were not in a position to sentence him for the assaults until after the Snaresbrook Crown Court hearing, where he may receive a custodial sentence.

This was because a "high-level community order" is the maximum sentence that can be imposed for his two counts of assault by beating of an emergency worker exercising their lawful duty, said magistrate Lady Jane Grabiner.

A community penalty may not be an available option if he is jailed, she added.

Lady Grabiner said he would be sentenced in Highbury on 30 January, following his crown court sentencing on 27 January.

Kaddour-Cherif has six convictions for 10 offences between 2024 and 2025.

His accidental release from prison came shortly after another migrant, Hadush Kebatu, had been wrongly freed while serving a prison term for sexually assaulting a teenage girl.

Official data from July last year set out that 262 prisoners had been released in error in the year to March 2025 - a 128% increase on 115 in the previous 12 months.

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