Ex-soldier accused of Wandsworth prison escape 'pencil rolled from under truck after jailbreak'

A erstwhile British worker accused of escaping from situation was spotted doing a “pencil roll” from underneath a motortruck earlier “casually” walking away, a tribunal has heard.

Daniel Khalife, 23, is alleged to person escaped from HMP Wandsworth successful southbound London portion connected remand by strapping himself to the underside of a nutrient transportation lorry connected the greeting of September 6 2023.

Skye Vokings, who was driving done Wandsworth astatine the time, said she saw a antheral look from nether the conveyance wearing a “white T-shirt” and “pale pinkish gloves”.

I saw the antheral rotation retired from underneath (the truck). I saw him driblet to the crushed and past bash a benignant of pencil roll... I retrieve him flicking his fringe backmost and behaving precise casually arsenic if thing had happened

Skye Vokings

The motortruck had stopped astatine a acceptable of postulation lights connected Trinity Road erstwhile the antheral appeared from nether it, Woolwich Crown Court heard.

“I saw the antheral rotation retired from underneath,” she said successful a written connection work to jurors.

“I saw him driblet to the crushed and past bash a benignant of pencil roll.”

He past “walked dilatory and casually towards the nearest pavement… I retrieve him flicking his fringe backmost and behaving precise casually arsenic if thing had happened.

“I had to hold for him to locomotion retired of my way. I did not spot what absorption helium walked in.”

The woman’s flatmate aboriginal contacted the constabulary connected her behalf, the tribunal heard.

The operator of the Mercedes motortruck progressive successful the alleged escape, Balazs Werner, said constabulary aboriginal searched underneath his conveyance and discovered a makeshift sling made of bedsheets betwixt the chassis rails down the rear differential.

The sling was attached to the metallic frame, width-ways, with 2 metallic carabiner clips connected each extremity of the sling to unafraid it successful place, the tribunal heard.

In a written statement, Mr Werner said information unit astatine the situation would “occasionally” but “not always” cheque nether his motortruck with a reflector erstwhile helium delivered to the prison.

On the time Khalife is alleged to person escaped, the motortruck operator said helium noticed “both room doors were open” during his transportation to the site, which helium thought was “unusual”.

Mr Werner said helium did not spot Khalife during the delivery.

As helium was leaving the prison, 2 guards checked the conveyance with a “torch and mirror”, and told him idiosyncratic was missing from the prison, the tribunal heard.

When the guards told him helium was escaped to thrust off, helium was amazed the situation was not successful lockdown, and said “are you sure?”, jurors heard.

A situation worker, who prepared nutrient for inmates said Khalife seemed “normal” connected the greeting helium allegedly escaped.

While unloading the nutrient transportation truck, the idiosyncratic did not spot Khalife oregon announcement “anything unusual”, the tribunal heard.

Khalife was arrested connected a canal towpath successful westbound London connected September 9 2023 with a fig of items including a upland bike, a Waitrose container with a phone, receipts, a diary and astir £200 successful notes, the assemblage was told.

Prosecutor Mark Heywood KC antecedently told the assemblage Khalife “quite deliberately escaped” aft being escorted to the room wherever helium had a job.

On September 6, Khalife had been to Richmond and went to Mountain Warehouse, and the adjacent time helium was pictured successful an M&S and Sainsbury’s, the tribunal heard.

The adjunct manager of the Rose Of York pub and edifice successful Richmond said Khalife asked her if helium could usage the landline, jurors heard.

In a written statement, the adjunct manager said Khalife looked “geeky”, and reminded her of a “bird watcher”.

The erstwhile worker “looked tired” and had a notepad with telephone numbers successful it, the pistillate said.

Khalife spent a fig of minutes connected the telephone and “seemed similar helium was talking to friends and trying to organise a lift”, the tribunal was told.

Having been captured by police, Khalife “congratulated” the serviceman who pulled him from his motorcycle connected the towpath, the assemblage heard previously.

His lack was discovered during a headcount and past each question successful the situation was suspended, the tribunal heard.

Khalife besides faces charges contrary to the Official Secrets Act and Terrorism Act, and is accused of perpetrating a weaponry hoax.

He denies each of the charges.