Police are hunting for a prisoner who managed to escape from hospital custody twice within the space of a week, raising serious questions about security protocols during medical transfers.
Daniel Boakye, 21, fled from Lewisham Hospital in south-east London on Sunday while receiving medical treatment under police guard. Officers attempted to pursue him but were unable to prevent him from leaving the building before he disappeared.
The escape marks the second time in five days that Boakye has absconded from hospital care. He is currently serving a sentence at HMP Feltham after being jailed in July 2023 for his role in a conspiracy to commit robbery. The offences took place between July 2021 and April 2022.
His first disappearance occurred on 10 February when he escaped from a hospital in west London while under the supervision of prison staff. Police traced him to a property in Thamesmead, south-east London, where he was arrested the following day.
After being taken back into custody, Boakye was charged on 12 February with escaping lawful custody. Later that same evening, he was transferred to hospital where he remained as a patient for three days before his second escape on 15 February.
When he fled Lewisham Hospital on Sunday, Boakye was wearing grey tracksuit bottoms and a dark Nike jacket. He is described as black, of medium height and slim build.
The Metropolitan Police has issued an urgent appeal for public assistance in locating him. A force spokesperson confirmed that anyone who sees Boakye or knows of his whereabouts should contact police immediately by calling 999 and quoting reference CAD4005/15FEB.
The Met has now launched an internal review to examine how both escapes were able to occur. The force’s Directorate of Professional Standards has been notified and will be examining the circumstances surrounding the incidents to establish what security failures allowed a prisoner in custody to abscond twice in such a short timeframe.
Authorities are working to piece together the full sequence of events and determine whether additional security measures need to be implemented when prisoners require hospital treatment.
