Jury Convicts One Man, Clears Another of Assisting Escaped Prisoner Daniel Khalife

Adeel Khan, 32, from Waltham Forest in east London, was found guilty of assisting escaped prisoner Daniel Khalife. Imran Chowdhury, 26, from Chingford, east London, was cleared of the same charge by the Snaresbrook Crown Court jury. Khan worked with Khalife in the prison kitchen at HMP Wandsworth.

After the escape on 6 September 2023, Khalife called Khan several times using borrowed phones. A red diary recovered from Khalife at his arrest listed Khan's name, illegal prison phone number, personal mobile number, and Snapchat account. The prosecution said Khalife carried £200 in £20 notes when arrested.

It alleged the money came from a £400 cash withdrawal Chowdhury made in Richmond on the day of the escape. At 20:41 BST that day, Khan messaged his then-girlfriend with Chowdhury's bank details and asked her to transfer £120. The money arrived in Chowdhury's Barclays account at 21:55.

Khan arranged a meeting with Khalife after the escape. Chowdhury then withdrew £400 for Khalife, the prosecution said. The jury deliberated more than four hours before delivering its verdicts on Tuesday.

Khalife escaped from HMP Wandsworth by tying himself to the bottom of a food delivery truck. He was later sentenced to 14 years and three months for spying for Iran. Khan has been remanded into custody ahead of sentencing on 4 September.

Judge Murray Shanks said the jury's findings suggested Chowdhury did not know what was happening. Chowdhury's defence barrister described him as a person of good character with no previous convictions and a job at the Telegraph newspaper.