Former soldier Daniel Khalife ‘went to McDonald’s after prison escape’

Former soldier Daniel Khalife went shopping and stopped off at McDonald’s while on the run after escaping from Wandsworth Prison, the Old Bailey has heard.

The 23-year-old slipped out of the gates by strapping himself to the underside of a food delivery lorry on September 6 last year.

Jurors heard he complained about injuring his back when he was arrested three days later, telling officers: ‘I don’t know how immigrants do it.’

Prosecutor Mark Heywood KC told the jury at Woolwich Crown Court on Wednesday that Khalife ‘quite deliberately escaped’ after being escorted to the kitchen where he had a ‘trusted’ job.

He was discovered to be missing from the Category B prison in southwest London during a routine headcount a little while later, jurors heard, sparking a nationwide manhunt.

The vehicle had left the prison and was found by police an hour after the alarm was raised.

A police dog was interested in the rear of the vehicle so police searched underneath.

Mr Heywood said: ‘Between the frame under the lorry had been attached a series of lengths of fabric knotted together and attached either side, sling-like.

‘There were two metal cabana clips so clearly some attention was given and resource expended to achieve it.

‘It had all the appearance of being effectively a makeshift rope to support the weight of an individual holding on to the frame of the truck.

‘When the driver was shown a photograph of the missing man he recognised him immediately as the person who was due to be there to help him – saying he was supposed to help but didn’t show up.

‘He clearly did show up but didn’t reveal himself and got underneath the vehicle and left the prison.’

The later investigation showed some of the whereabouts and activity of Khalife, the court heard.

On September 6, Khalife had been to Richmond and went to Mountain Warehouse, the next day he was pictured in an M&S and Sainsbury’s, Mr Heywood said.

He added while referring to images: ‘You’ll notice by now he’s wearing a face mask and different clothing.’

On the day of the arrest, the defendant was seen in a McDonald’s, he added.

Mr Heywood told the jury: ‘There will be no dispute that he was in lawful custody and left it. You will have to hear what his defence to that charge is in due course.’

Khalife was arrested on a canal towpath in west London on September 9, 2023, with a number of items including a mountain bike, a Waitrose bag with a phone, receipts a diary and about £200 in notes, the jury was told.

He also faces a charge of gathering, publishing or communicating information that might be useful to an enemy, namely Iranian intelligence, contrary to the Official Secrets Act between May 1, 2019 and January 6, 2022.

In addition, he is accused of perpetrating a bomb hoax in Beaconside, Staffordshire, on or before January 2023.

The fourth charge alleges Khalife elicited or attempted to elicit personal information about armed forces personnel that was likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism from a Ministry of Defence administration system on August 2 2021.

He denies all of the charges.

The trial continues.

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