PRISONER GUILTY OF ASSISTING ESCAPED SOLDIER DANIEL KHALIFE

Adeel Khan, 32, from Waltham Forest, east London, was found guilty on Tuesday of assisting Daniel Khalife after Khalife's escape from HMP Wandsworth in September 2023. A jury at Snaresbrook Crown Court deliberated for four hours and 36 minutes before reaching a guilty verdict by a majority of 11 to one. Imran Chowdhury, 26, of Chingford, east London, was cleared of the same charge. Khan worked with Khalife in the prison kitchen and helped facilitate the escape from inside the jail.

The prosecution presented evidence that Khan arranged for Chowdhury to withdraw £400 from an ATM in Richmond on the evening of the escape, paying Chowdhury £120 for the task. Khan messaged his then-girlfriend Nazish Mahmood requesting she transfer £120 into Chowdhury's Barclays account at 8.41pm, with the money arriving nine minutes later. CCTV footage showed Chowdhury and Khalife walking along George Street, Richmond, at 10.38pm before entering an alleyway containing an out-of-view cashpoint. Khalife was found in possession of a 2023 diary containing Khan's name, an illegal prison phone number, personal mobile number and Snapchat account when arrested.

Khalife was sentenced following a 2024 trial on charges related to spying for Iran. Judge Murray Shanks indicated during sentencing remarks that the jury's findings suggested Chowdhury had not understood the nature of his involvement. Chowdhury's defence counsel argued the defendant held good character with no previous convictions and was employed by The Telegraph newspaper at the time of the alleged offence.