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One of London’s most scandal-hit prisons is facing another investigation after an inmate posted a video of a smuggled takeaway on TikTok.
The unnamed prisoner at HMP Wandsworth shared footage of his meal from Chicken Cottage, showing his wings and burger.
TikTok quickly deleted the user’s account, but not before the prison launched an investigation to find the prisoner and those who helped smuggle in the food.
It comes after worries of security in the prison, after multiple security breaches have worried locals and prison staff alike.
If a prison officer was behind the smuggled meal, it could raise further questions about HMP Wandsworth.
The Ministry of Justice said: ‘We removed these posts immediately and are investigating. Those who break prison rules can face extra time behind bars.’
Earlier this month, two prisoners went on the run after being mistakenly released from HMP Wandsworth.
Officials said Brahim Kaddour-Cherif, a 24-year-old Algerian man, was freed alongside 35-year-old William ‘Billy’ Smith in error.
After a three-day manhunt, Billy was seen hugging his partner goodbye, smoking a cigarette and then smiling at news cameras as he turned himself back in.
Timeline of Wansworth prisoners mistakenly released
October 29: Brahim Kaddour-Cherif, a sex offender, is mistakenly released from prison.
November 3: William Smith, a convicted fraudster, is freed in error from jail.
November 4: The Prison Service informs the Metropolitan Police that a prisoner had been released by mistake.
November 5, overnight: David Lammy informed of Kaddour-Cherif’s accidental release.
November 5, 12.43pm: After PMQs, Lammy, covering for Keir Starmer, declines to respond when asked about a prisoner being freed.
November 5, 1.41pm: An ‘outraged’ Lammy confirms an ‘urgent manhunt’ for Kaddour-Cherif has been launched.
November 5, 4.06pm: Surrey Police reveal that Smith had been mistakenly freed.
November 5, 4.41pm: Metropolitan Police confirm the first escaped prisoner’s name is Kaddour-Cherif.
November 6, 10.03am: Smith hands himself back to prison.
The south London facility was described as ‘the worst’ of the English prison system in a scathing report in 2024.
Prison staff at Wandsworth displayed an ‘inability to account for prisoners during the working day’- despite receiving almost £900,000 of investment since Daniel Khalife’s alleged escape in September 2023.
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Following a ‘catastrophic inspection’ from HM Inspectorate of Prisons (HMIP), Wandsworth was found to have alarmingly high rates of self-harm, dangerous levels of violence and nearly 50% of prisoners taking drugs.
The report concluded that HMP Wandsworth was ‘not safe’ and 10 self-inflicted deaths had occurred since the last inspection, with a ‘high and rising’ rate of self-harm.
Some 80% of men in the prison were found to be sharing cells only designed to hold one person.
The report also found that more than half of men said it was easy to get drugs and the smell of cannabis was ‘ubiquitous’.
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