LONDON (AP) — One of two inmates who were mistakenly released early from a London prison surrendered Thursday after waving to reporters and smoking a cigarette on the steps of the Victorian-era lockup.
Billy Smith, 35, turned himself in to HMP Wandsworth three days after he was released in the latest administrative blunder to focus attention on an overcrowded and overwhelmed prison system that has become a political liability for the Labour government after being a thorn in the side of their Conservative predecessors.
Prison chiefs were summoned to a meeting Thursday to discuss the errors and efforts were being made to update a system that still uses paper prison records, Justice minister Alex Davies-Jones said.
Smith, 35, was accidentally freed Monday — the same day he was sentenced to nearly four years in prison for multiple frauds.
Police were still searching for Brahim Kaddour-Cherif, 24, who was mistakenly released from Wandsworth Oct. 29, and was serving time for trespass with intent to steal and is a registered sex offender for an indecent exposure conviction
Cherif, an Algerian national, entered the U.K. legally in 2019, but had overstayed and was in the initial stages of the deportation process.
Both men were wrongly freed from Wandsworth, which was built in southwest London in the middle of the 19th century, and was under scrutiny after another prisoner escaped two years ago by clinging to the underside of a food delivery truck.
The inadvertent releases followed more stringent controls that were supposed to be in place after an asylum-seeker who inspired a rise of anti-immigrant protests was mistakenly freed from Chelmsford Prison, east of London, on Oct. 24.
Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, who had been sentenced to 12 months in a British prison for sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl, was captured after a two-day search and quickly deported to his home country of Ethiopia.
After the Kebatu search, the government announced stronger security checks in prisons and launched an independent investigation into the screwup that has caused further embarrassment for the Prison Service, which has been starved of resources for many years.
Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy, who is also the justice minister, said he was “absolutely outraged" and sought to blame the woes facing the prison estate on the previous government.
According to government figures, 262 prisoners were released in error in the year ending March 2025, a 128% increase on the previous 12-month period.
Conservative spokespeople said the Labour government has to take the blame as the sharp increase in the numbers is directly linked with its decision to release some prisoners earlier to ensure prisons don't exceed capacity.
FILE - A general view of HMP Wandsworth in southwest London on Sept. 6, 2023. (Yui Mok/PA via AP, File)
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Andrew Painter hopped off the mound in excitement in the fifth inning after his 97.2 mph fastball got James Wood to strike out for a second time.
Phillies fans — some groups called themselves Andrew's Painters, others Painter's Painters — waved paintbrushes and erupted in cheers with each strikeout for the rookie pitcher.
Painter delivered a masterpiece in his major league debut.
The 22-year-old Painter — considered to have one of the top arms in any level of baseball — tossed four-hit ball and struck out eight over 5 1/3 innings Tuesday in the Phillies' 3-2 win against the Washington Nationals. Painter tipped his cap to the cheering crowd of 40,709 fans as he left the mound in the sixth after he allowed a one-out single to C.J. Abrams.
“It was awesome,” Painter said. “Crowd showed up tonight. Just kind of soaked all of it. I don't think I could have drawn it up much better.”
He struck out the side in the fifth, walked one and allowed a run when Abrams scored on a run-scoring single by Daylen Lile off reliever Tanner Banks.
Painter wanted to stay in the game and at least finish the inning. Phillies manager Rob Thomson wasn't going to push the right-hander almost 1,000 days since his big league path was elongated by Tommy John surgery.
Thomson asked Painter on the mound visit if he enjoyed his first game.
“He shook his head no,” Thomson said with a laugh. “Then he figured out what I said and shook his head yes.”
Painter received a rousing ovation as he made the long walk from the bullpen to the dugout before the game and kept the fans on their feet when he struck out Wood on a nasty 12-6 curveball to open the game. Painter kept the Nationals flailing at breaking balls and swinging over high hard stuff the rest of the game.
Painter mixed curves, sweepers and sliders with a fastball that nearly touched 100 mph and flashed every bit of greatness that has been predicted of him since he was the 13th overall pick in the 2021 amateur draft and signed for a $3.9 million bonus.
Painter sprinted through Philadelphia’s system in 2022, going 6-2 with a 1.48 ERA in 26 appearances spread across two Class A teams and Double-A Reading.
He hurt his elbow during spring training in 2023 and had Tommy John surgery later that year.
The 6-foot-7 right-hander emerged the top candidate to win the Phillies’ fifth starter job as he attempted to crack the rotation before his 20th birthday. Instead, the injury set him back at least two seasons, and he went 5-8 with a 5.26 ERA during two minor league stops last season.
He’s been deemed good to go and joins a stout rotation that this season will include Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola, Cristopher Sánchez and Jesús Luzardo.
“We've been waiting a while for this,” Thomson said. “So have our players.”
The two-time reigning NL East champion Phillies gave him needed run support with solo home runs from Kyle Schwarber and Adolis Garcia. Painter left with the Phillies leading 3-0.
“He didn't seem fazed by anything out there," Schwarber said. “That was pretty cool. I mean, even before the game, there's no pacing, no nothing. Just felt like he was mentally prepared for what he was about to do. That's impressive.”
The first outing sure seemed a like preview for even more impressive starts over his career.
“I felt like I was in control of the pace of the game,” Painter said.
Considered the organization's top pitching prospect since Cole Hamels, Painter entered the season ranked No. 26 among all prospects in baseball. Painter gave up seven hits and struck out eight in 11 2/3 innings in spring training this year.
“If we can keep him healthy, this guy's going to be really good for a long time,” Thomson said. “He's going to have a really great career. He's one of those upper-echelon guys. He's got the combination of power and command. The future is bright for him.”
Painter said every part of his game felt in sync, from pregame warmups to keeping his emotions in check while pitching in front of about 40 friends and family in his ticket group. He changed from his No. 24 jersey into a Phillies hoodie and shorts and jogged back onto the field after the final out for photos and hugs with his parents, former coaches and everyone who made the trip.
That included a kiss with his fiancée.
Painter took a knee before he ever threw a regular-season pitch. He posted proposal photos on Instagram in March with his girlfriend, Shelby.
What's more nerve-wracking, proposing or taking the mound?
“I'm not sure,” Painter said with a laugh. “We'll revisit that.”
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Philadelphia Phillies manager Rob Thomson, second from left, releases pitcher Andrew Painter, center, during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Tuesday, March 31, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Andrew Painter greets teammates during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Tuesday, March 31, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Philadelphia Phillies' Andrew Painter pitches during the first inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Tuesday, March 31, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Philadelphia Phillies fans that call themselves "Painter's Painters" pose for a photo as they cheer on rookie Phillies pitcher Andrew Painter during his MLB debut in a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Tuesday, March 31, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Dan Gelston)
Philadelphia Phillies' Andrew Painter pitches during the first inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Tuesday, March 31, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Philadelphia Phillies' Andrew Painter pitches during the second inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Tuesday, March 31, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
