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Timeline of events after Daniel Khalife’s alleged prison escape

The former soldier was arrested in west London on September 9 2023.

George Lithgow
Wednesday 23 October 2024 10:22
The former soldier bought clothes from Marks & Spencer and a coffee from McDonald’s (Metropolitan Police/PA)
The former soldier bought clothes from Marks & Spencer and a coffee from McDonald’s (Metropolitan Police/PA) (PA Media)

CCTV footage has revealed the journey Daniel Khalife took around west London after he allegedly escaped from HMP Wandsworth by strapping himself to the underside of a food delivery lorry.

The former soldier bought clothes from Marks & Spencer, a coffee from McDonald’s and walked by the river Thames.

Here is a timeline of the events leading to his recapture.

– September 6:Shortly after 7am, Khalife is escorted from his cell to the kitchen area of the prison where he worked.

The lorry, driven by Balazs Werner, leaves the prison through a gate leading on to Heathfield Road at 7.32am.

The former soldier used a makeshift sling made of bedsheets between the chassis rails, prosecutors say.

Soon after, a woman driving behind the lorry spots a man “drop to the ground and then do a kind of pencil roll” from under the lorry after it stops at a set of traffic lights on Trinity Road.

He then walks “slowly and casually towards the nearest pavement,” Skye Vokings said.

During a routine headcount, staff are unable to account for him and they realise he is missing. Police are notified at 8:18am.

CCTV footage seen by jurors showed Khalife that afternoon in Whittaker Avenue, Richmond, wearing an olive green shirt and shorts.

He enters a Mountain Warehouse shop, picks up a blue cap and puts it into his bag before walking out, CCTV shows.

Khalife later walks along next to the river and on a towpath towards Richmond Bridge.

– September 7:At 8am, Khalife walks into a Marks & Spencer store in Kew and buys clothes using cash.

Shortly after 10am, he walks into a shopping centre in Hammersmith and goes into a Sainsbury’s wearing a face mask.

At around 11:20, Khalife buys a Samsung J5 for £89 from a shop on King Street in Hammersmith.

– September 8:The former soldier visits a newsagents in Chiswick and buys himself a newspaper soon after 8am.

– September 9:In the morning, he walks into a McDonald’s and buys an espresso.

He also goes to the bathroom where he changes his clothes.

Khalife is arrested just before 11am on a canal towpath in west London with a number of items including a mountain bike, a Waitrose bag with a phone, receipts, a diary and about £200 in notes, the jury was told.

The plainclothes detective sergeant said he “jumped out” of his car and “ran down an alleyway to the canal”.

Asked about Khalife’s demeanour, the officer said: “He was friendly towards me. Quite jovial.

“He was pleasant. He congratulated me on catching him.”

The former soldier was then taken into custody.

As well as the prison escape, Khalife also faces charges contrary to the Official Secrets Act and Terrorism Act and is accused of perpetrating a bomb hoax.

He denies all of the charges.

The trial continues.

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