A jury at Snaresbrook Crown Court heard that two friends allegedly supported Daniel Khalife during his 2023 escape from HMP Wandsworth. Adeel Khan, 32, and Imran Chowdhury, 26, have entered not guilty pleas to charges of assisting the former soldier after he fled by clinging to the underside of a delivery truck.
Prosecutor Tom Williams argued that Khan provided guidance from within the prison while Chowdhury acted as a local contact, supplying funds to the fugitive. The two defendants, residing in east London, were allegedly well-acquainted with Khalife. Khan was identified through a red diary found on the escapee, which contained his contact details. Prosecutors also claim that Chowdhury provided cash withdrawn in Richmond, for which he was reportedly paid £120.
Evidence presented in court included CCTV footage showing Khalife and Chowdhury meeting in Richmond shortly after the escape. Additionally, the prosecution highlighted phone records and messages sent by Khan to his then-girlfriend regarding the transfer of funds. Khalife, who was later convicted of spying for Iran, was apprehended on a canal towpath in September 2023. The trial for Khan and Chowdhury remains ongoing.
