British-Nigerian Convict Escapes After Mistaken Release

Ifedayo Adeyey, a British-Nigerian man, fled the UK after being mistakenly released from HMP Pentonville while serving a sentence for abducting his son, Lauri Adeyey. The incident occurred when prison officials failed to notify the police about his release, giving Adeyey a three-day head start before a manhunt was announced by Scotland Yard.

The court was informed that Adeyey fled to Spain shortly after his release on April 22. His abduction of Lauri, which took place on July 27, 2024, was not the first incident, as Adeyey had previously been sentenced to six months in January for contempt of court after failing to return his son to his mother, Clair N Djoss.

The court criticized the lack of urgency from prison officials and warned that such incidents could be prevented if the police were informed immediately. This case is part of a broader pattern of prison errors, with 179 inmates mistakenly released between April 2025 and March 2026.