Former soldier Daniel Khalife will be tried in July
Former soldier Daniel Khalife will be tried in July for escaping from Wandsworth prison and allegedly passing information to Iran.
Khalife, 21, broke out of HMP Wandsworth on September 6 by using bed sheets to strap himself to the underside of a food delivery truck, sparking a 75-hour manhunt.
He was arrested on a canal towpath in Northolt, west London, three days later after he was pulled off a bike by a plainclothes counter-terrorism officer.
He is accused of passing material to the Iranian Intelligence Services.
Khalife appeared at the Old Bailey today via video link from the more secure HMP Belmarsh wearing a bright blue and yellow tracksuit.
British-born Khalife, who has Iranian and Lebanese heritage, was on remand at Wandsworth Prison ahead of his trial for breaching the Official Secrets Act and an alleged bomb hoax offence at his barracks.
He allegedly left three canisters with wires on his desk in his accommodation at MOD Stafford, also known as Beacon Barracks, on 2 January this year.
He is also accused of committing an act prejudicial to the interests or safety of the state by collecting information that might be useful to an enemy between 1 May 2019 and 6 January 2022.
A third charge alleges he elicited information about soldiers from the MoD Joint Personnel Administration System at the barracks that was likely to be useful to commit an act of terrorism on 2 August 2021.
He also denies escape, contrary to common law.
He was due to face trial at Woolwich Crown Court on 13 November but Mr Justice Jeremy Baker today moved the six week trial to 29 July.
Prosecutor Thomas Williams earlier told Westminster Magistrates’ Court that on the morning of 6 September, Wandsworth prison notified police that Khalife was missing.
He had been working in the jail kitchen and ‘there were suspicions he had disappeared via a food delivery truck.’
The court heard police intercepted the delivery truck at 8:40am on Upper Richmond Road.
Police found two makeshift straps, made from material thought to be from bed sheets, with clips on each end, attached to the underside of the vehicle.
Mr Williams said: ‘There was a four-day manhunt of 150 police officers per day, using resources from other police forces and government agencies.’
The court heard Khalife was arrested at 10:41am on 9 September after a plain clothed officer, in an unmarked vehicle received reports Khalife had been spotted on a bicycle.
Khalife had in his possession a small amount of money, clothes and a mobile phone.
He told officers he had ‘almost been caught on several occasions’, that he ‘hated the governor of Wandsworth’, and that he had been to Richmond Park and the Chiswick area
Khalife also told officers the lorry driver was unaware of his escape.
An investigation has been launched into how a prisoner managed to break out of the Category B jail.
HMP Belmarsh is a category A security prison, while HMP Wandsworth is a category B.
Category A prisons house male prisoners whose escape would pose the most threat to the public, police or national security.
Khalife will next appear for a hearing on 21 December.
