A man who abducted his five-year-old son and was subsequently jailed has been mistakenly released from prison, sparking a manhunt and raising serious questions about the UK prison system's release procedures. The father is wanted by authorities in both the UK and France.
A man convicted of abducting his five-year-old son has been mistakenly released from a London prison and is now at large, prompting a severe rebuke of the prison system and a desperate search for both father and child.
Ifedayo Adedapo Kolawoe Adeyeye, a British-Nigerian national, was released from HMP Pentonville on April 21st, despite being due to serve an additional 12-month sentence and face extradition to France upon its completion. The error was not discovered until April 23rd, creating a critical two-day window during which Adeyeye could have left the country.
This case stems from a deeply troubling abduction that occurred in July 2024, when Adeyeye took his son, Laurys N'Djosse Adeyeye, from his mother, Claire N'Djosse, in France and transported him to Nigeria. Mr Justice Hayden previously described the abduction as being 'in the most serious class of cases', highlighting the deliberate and calculated nature of Adeyeye’s actions.
The initial six-month jail sentence Adeyeye received in January was for contempt of court, stemming from his refusal to return Laurys to his mother. He was subsequently sentenced to a further 12 months for additional contempt offences on April 20th, the day before his erroneous release. The High Court has now authorized the publication of both Adeyeye and Laurys’ identities in an effort to solicit public assistance in locating them.
Mr Justice Hayden expressed profound concern over the 'alarming lack of urgency' displayed by prison staff and questioned whether the police fully grasp the gravity of the situation. He stated that Adeyeye poses a 'dangerous threat to his son's physical and emotional welfare' and has consistently demonstrated dishonesty. The judge emphasized that Adeyeye’s detention was the most viable path towards reuniting Laurys with his mother, and that the state’s failure in this instance warrants public scrutiny.
Ms N'Djosse, who has not seen her son since the abduction, has suffered immense emotional distress, described by the judge as 'visceral and unbearable'. The legal complexities of this case are noteworthy, as Mr Justice Hayden previously established the High Court’s authority to order Adeyeye to return Laurys to his mother, even though the child does not reside in the UK. Laurys was born in France and had lived there with his mother since birth.
Following the abduction, a Nigerian court granted parental responsibility to Adeyeye’s relatives without Ms N'Djosse’s knowledge or consent, further complicating her efforts to regain custody of her son. The case involves 'complex, sophisticated, long-term planning and deception' by Adeyeye, who is also wanted by French authorities. The recent accidental release occurred because the second 12-month sentence and the impending extradition order were 'not flagged up' to prison staff, leading to a communication breakdown.
This incident is particularly concerning given recent revelations of similar errors at HMP Wandsworth, where a convicted sex offender and a fraudster were also wrongly released. Official figures indicate a significant increase in accidental releases, with 262 inmates mistakenly freed in the year leading up to March 2025, a 128% rise from the previous year. The Ministry of Justice has promised improvements to prison release systems in response to these failures.
Law firm Dawson Cornwell, representing Ms N'Djosse, has appealed to the public for any information regarding Adeyeye’s whereabouts, urging anyone with knowledge to contact the police
Abduction Prison Release Error Manhunt Extradition Child Welfare
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