Ex-Soldier and Potential Turncoat: Daniel Khalife Under Suspicion for Betrayal
It was a crisp morning in late summer 2023, and the traffic on the dual carriageway near Wandsworth roundabout moved sluggishly. This was the setting for an unexpected event that unfolded at HMP Wandsworth, a prison notorious for its inhumane conditions, understaffing, overpopulation, and broken CCTV cameras.
Daniel Khalife, a former soldier accused of spying for Iran and staging a bomb scare, was being held on remand in the prison. His job within its walls included unloading food deliveries, a routine task that brought him into contact with the catering supplier, Bidfood.
On September 6, at around 7.40am, Daniel Khalife attempted to escape from the prison using an unconventional method. He hid under a delivery van and clipped a sling to the chassis rails. The delivery driver, Balazs Werner, did not notice Daniel Khalife during the routine security checks.
As the delivery van approached the traffic light near Wandsworth roundabout, it slowed, providing Daniel Khalife with the opportunity he needed. A witness, Skye Vokins, saw him exiting the delivery van, dressed in a white T-shirt and pale pink gloves.
The prison kitchen, where Daniel Khalife often worked, was a hive of activity. It was equipped with about a dozen ovens, fry tops, and pots, all simmering with lacklustre grub. The kitchen staff, including Daniel Khalife, wore heavy-duty cotton workwear as their uniform.
Despite the severity of his offenses, Daniel Khalife was assigned a job in the prison kitchen. Some inmates, like Chris Jones, who was also an ex-army personnel, were suspicious of Daniel Khalife. The atmosphere in the kitchen was lighter than on the prison wings, providing a stark contrast to the rest of the facility.
Inmates in the kitchen used carabiners to hold their lockers closed to keep rats from the food. The food deliveries, which Daniel Khalife was responsible for unloading, were a crucial part of the prison's daily operations.
On the morning of his escape attempt, Daniel Khalife tested his plan by covering himself with soot from the delivery van and pretending to escape. However, nothing was escalated.
Daniel Khalife's escape attempt caused a stir, leading to a manhunt that made headlines. After his escape on September 6, he was tried at a Crown Court in the United Kingdom. His fate remains to be seen, but his audacious escape from HMP Wandsworth will undoubtedly go down in the annals of British prison history.
