This is the moment an inmate freed under Labour’s early release scheme was immediately rearrested seconds after leaving Wandsworth prison.
The extraordinary scene played out yesterday morning as a large crowd of young men waited outside the Victorian jail to celebrate their associates being let out after serving only a fraction of their sentences.
The group, who were smoking and playing music in what resembled a party atmosphere, were heard reacting with astonishment as police cuffed the man, who they did not appear to know.
The suspect looked similarly surprised as he walked out of the jail only to be immediately confronted by police, but allowed himself to be led away into a waiting police van.
The moment came against a backdrop of joyous scenes outside Britain’s prisons yesterday, as 1,700 criminals were set free after serving a fraction if their sentence.
At Wandsworth, sparkling wine was sprayed in the air as a group of men celebrated the early release of one of their friends, known only as Daniel.
Cheers went up as the young man left the jail and was quickly embraced by a woman before joining the rowdy group.
The friends, who arrived in a fleet of luxury cars including a black BMW, passed the hours in the lead-up to his release listening to music, smoking and laughing in what resembled a party atmosphere. They brought along two £17.99 bottles of Luc Belaire Luxe sparkling wine, which were shaken and sprayed as their friend exited the prison gate.
A total of 16 inmates had left Wandsworth by midday. Many were delighted to be released, with Liam Fitzpatrick, 34, saying: ‘Everyone’s happy today, there are a lot of happy faces.’
He said he was ‘100 per cent grateful’ to Labour for letting him out early. Mr Fitzpatrick said he had originally been jailed for three years for what he said were ‘driving offences and fighting’ but was released after 18 months.
Ross Heathorn, 46, said he was heading straight to McDonald’s to celebrate his freedom. ‘It feels good to be free,’ he said.
Despite the Government’s claims that inmates would not be released homeless, Jack Creighton, 54, said he was going to ‘spend the night on a park bench’ due to having no accommodation lined up.
Convicted drug dealer Djaber Benallaoua, 20, said the early release policy had made him a ‘lifelong Labour voter’.
Asked how it felt to be freed from HMP Isis, in south-east London, where he was greeted by five friends, he said: ‘I thank Labour. Because I’ve come out five or six months early than I was supposed to, so I’m just happy.’
Benallaoua, who was given a two-and-a-half-year sentence but was let out six months earlier than planned, added: ‘It’s a very good policy because it’s given a lot of prisoners a lot of hope. When prisoners found out they’d be released early they were very positive.’
Asked about his future plans, he said: ‘I’m just elated right now. I’m gonna get lit.’
Daniel Rutuls, also walking free from HMP Isis, said he had been released a month early after serving almost 18 months of a three-year sentence for aggravated burglary. Asked if he had a message for the Prime Minister, the 19-year-old from Harlesden, north London, said: ‘Thank you, and it’s a smart decision, because now you’ve got more space.’
He said he would ‘100 per cent’ vote Labour now, adding: ‘I’m really happy to be out. The reaction was very positive when we found out we would be released.’
One freed inmate was greeted at HMP Pentonville in north London by a brand new black Lamborghini Huracan Tecnica, which has a basic list price of £212,000.
At HMP Elmley on the Isle of Sheppey, Kent, lags were welcomed with hugs and kisses from waiting family and friends, who came with champagne and a sound system blasting out music.
One criminal who had served four years for fraud and declined to give his name said: ‘It’s like a great escape. Thank you Sir Keir Starmer, you’re the best. It’s a right touch. My family are well pleased.’ Another said: ‘I thought I had got another six months left. This is a brilliant policy.’
At Nottingham jail, a freed criminal in a grey tracksuit was soaked with bottles of £6.95 ‘I heart Bubbly’ after exiting the prison gates.