UK to roll out biometric checks in prisons after mistaken releases rise

The UK government has announced plans to implement biometric fingerprint and facial recognition checks in prisons following the release of 179 prisoners in error in the year to March 2026.

Mistaken releases in England and Wales have been rising, with 179 cases recorded in the latest year, down from 262 the previous year but still significantly higher than 115 in 2023-24.

These errors include misplaced warrants, sentence miscalculations, and mistakes by courts or other authorities, according to the Ministry of Justice.

The announcement follows an independent review led by Dame Lynne Owens, former deputy commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, who described the mistaken releases as "simply one symptom of a broken system." The review was commissioned after the mistaken release of Hadush Kebatu from an Essex prison in October 2025, a case that sparked a high-profile manhunt and public protests.

Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy stated that the government would accept all 33 recommendations from the review and begin trials of biometric fingerprint and facial recognition technology within six months.

A full roll-out is expected before the end of the current parliamentary term.

The government has allocated £82 million to address these issues, including £20 million this year to digitise outdated paper-based processes and increase staffing and checks.

Lammy expressed sympathy for the victims affected by mistaken releases, particularly the victim of Kebatu, whom he met in December.

The mistaken release of Kebatu, who was jailed for sexual assaults and was due for deportation, led to a manhunt and protests against the use of hotels to house asylum seekers.

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