A jury has found a local man guilty of assisting Daniel Khalife after his widely publicised escape from HMP Wandsworth in 2023. A second defendant, Imran Chowdhury, 26, of Chingford, was acquitted of the same charge.
How Khalife escaped and the subsequent manhunt
Khalife, a former British Army soldier, was convicted earlier this year for spying on behalf of Iran and for escaping from lawful custody. He was sentenced to 14 years and three months in prison. The then 21-year-old fled the Wandsworth site by attaching himself to the underside of a food delivery vehicle, reportedly using material likely fashioned from bed sheets.
Following the breakout, Khalife was at liberty for three days before being arrested near a canal in Northolt. Police inquiries established that he had made a series of calls using phones borrowed from members of the public while trying to avoid recapture.
Evidence and conviction
Investigating officers traced contact between Khalife and the man now convicted. They identified phone calls made after the escape and discovered that the convicted man had arranged for Khalife to receive cash while on the run. Detectives say a total of £400 was provided, enabling Khalife to purchase a mobile phone and other items that extended his time at liberty.
“A huge amount of police resource was used during the manhunt for Daniel Khalife - a man who has now been convicted of espionage and terrorism offences... This case demonstrates that anyone who helps a criminal in this way will find themselves arrested and now they are also facing justice.”
The comment above was made by Commander Helen Flanagan, head of Counter Terrorism Policing (CTP) London, reflecting the scale of the response to the escape and subsequent efforts to identify those who assisted Khalife.
Local links to the investigation
Officers discovered the convicted man’s name, prison number and mobile number written in a diary that Khalife had on him when he was arrested. The entry led to further enquiries and an interview conducted in Wandsworth prison in October 2023.
- Convicted: man found guilty of assisting Khalife
- Acquitted: Imran Chowdhury cleared of same charge
- Victim of assistance: Khalife received £400 and borrowed phones while on the run
| Key event | Detail |
|---|---|
| Escape | 2023: Khalife left HMP Wandsworth by clinging to a food delivery truck |
| Time on run | Three days before arrest in Northolt |
| Sentence | 14 years and three months for espionage and escaping custody |
| Assistance | £400 provided; phone calls made using borrowed devices |
The conviction underscores the priority given by police to tracing not just the principal offender but also any individuals who helped him evade capture. CTP London said the investigation involved extensive phone-data analysis and conventional policing work.
Community concerns and practical impact
The escape from Wandsworth and the subsequent convictions have prompted fresh debate locally about prison security, public safety and the resources required to track fugitives. While sentencing and specific penalties for the man found guilty will be determined through the court process, the verdict sends a clear signal about the legal consequences of facilitating an escape.
Residents with information relevant to the original escape or related assistance were asked to continue to co-operate with police enquiries when requested. The case remains an example of how detailed forensic and digital investigation can link apparent chance contacts to wider criminal activity.
This report is a local account of national events directly tied to Wandsworth and the prison within its borough. It reflects court outcomes and statements released by law enforcement. Further reporting will follow any sentencing hearings or additional related developments.
