Ex soldier pleads not guilty to escaping from custody at south London jail

Daniel Khalife is accused of escaping from custody at HMP Wandsworth.

Khalife appeared at the Old Bailey saying "I am not guilty."
Author: Aileen O'SullivanPublished 21st Sep 2023

Former soldier Daniel Khalife has pleaded not guilty to escaping custody at HMP Wandsworth where he was on remand after being charged with terror offences earlier this year.

The 21-year-old appeared at the Old Bailey via video link from HMP Belmarsh to deny the charge.

Khalife, who was wearing a blue and yellow sweatshirt, said: "I am not guilty."

He is accused of escaping from prison on September 6 by allegedly strapping himself to the underside of a food delivery vehicle.

Khalife was arrested on a canal towpath in west London at 10.41am on September 9 after being pulled off a push bike by a plain-clothes counter-terrorism officer.

He had been in Wandsworth Prison awaiting trial after allegedly planting a fake bomb at an RAF base and gathering information that might be useful to terrorists or enemies of the UK.

He denied those charges at a previous hearing at the Old Bailey in July.

Mr Justice Jeremy Baker joined the charges and Khalife will be tried at Woolwich Crown Court on November 13 for all four offences.

He will reappear at the Old Bailey on October 13 for a review hearing where the trial date may be discussed.

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