Adeel Khan jailed for four‑and‑a‑half years for aiding Daniel Khalife after Wandsworth escape

On 4 September 2026 Snaresbrook Crown Court handed down a custodial term to Adeel Khan, 32, for assisting Daniel Khalife after the latter fled HMP Wandsworth in September 2023. Residents of Wandsworth and surrounding boroughs are affected because the assistance prolonged a high‑profile manhunt that consumed significant police resources.

Court decision and sentencing

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Metropolitan Police said Khan was convicted of assisting an offender and of possessing an unauthorised prison mobile phone. The judge ordered a four‑year‑six‑month term, to run alongside a concurrent 15‑month sentence for the phone offence. The court heard that Khan, who was on remand at Wandsworth awaiting extradition for separate offences, contacted Khalife by phone after the escape.

"A huge amount of police resource was dedicated to the manhunt for Daniel Khalife, a man who has since been convicted of espionage and terrorism offences,"

Commander Helen Flanagan, Head of Counter Terrorism Policing London

How the cash was used

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Investigators uncovered evidence that Khan arranged for Khalife to receive £400 in cash while he was at large. The money was withdrawn by Imran Chowdhury, 26, of Chingford, and passed to Khalife. Prosecutors said the cash funded the purchase of a mobile phone and clothing, allowing Khalife to contact his handlers and remain undetected for three days.

Other defendant acquitted

The same trial also involved Imran Chowdhury, who faced the same assisting charge. The Standard reported that a jury found him not guilty. Chowdhury’s defence argued he was unaware of Khalife’s status when he met the escaped prisoner. The acquittal means he faces no further penalty in this case.

Implications for public safety

The case highlights the risk of inside assistance to high‑risk inmates. Counter‑terrorism officials noted that the cash and phone enabled Khalife to maintain contact with foreign intelligence contacts. Police resources were diverted for the three‑day search, underscoring the broader impact on community safety.

Khan remains in custody and has the right to appeal the conviction. The Crown Prosecution Service will monitor any further developments. Residents are reminded that assisting a wanted individual is a serious offence, and the courts will impose custodial sentences where evidence proves such support.