A former soldier from the British army, currently on trial for his escape from HMP Wandsworth, testified that he deliberately left the prison without authorization in hopes of being transferred to the High Security Unit at Belmarsh Prison. On the third day of his trial at Woolwich Crown Court, he explained to the jury that he sought an upgrade to Double Category A High Risk status. His intention was to be housed in an environment away from sex offenders and not in a standard wing where he could face hostility due to his military background.

Upon his arrival at Wandsworth, the soldier was placed in the Vulnerable Prison Unit, which he described as primarily composed of serious sex offenders, including rapists and paedophiles. He secured a job in the kitchen’s store area, aided by a fellow inmate whom he identified as a prolific sex offender. While initially believing this man was helping him, he acknowledged that the individual seemed to have ulterior motives.

He recounted receiving warnings from prison officers about potential threats against him from terrorist offenders within the facility. Given these concerns, he concluded that his best chance for safety would be in the High Security Unit at Belmarsh. On August 21, 2023, he attempted to create a diversion by acting suspiciously near a food delivery truck, hoping this would prompt an upgrade of his security classification; however, no action was taken.

On September 1, 2023, he fashioned a makeshift sling using trousers and carabiners under the delivery truck. Five days later, he crawled beneath it and stated that when the tail lift was raised, it concealed him completely. He observed activity around the vehicle while officers conducted routine checks but failed to discover him.

Admitting to having left prison without permission, he noted that he marked September 6 in his diary with an asterisk as the day of his escape. The jury was also shown an earlier entry for August 21 marked with an asterisk and labeled “failed,” which he added later. Additionally, during his previous absconding incident in January 2022, he left behind a fake bomb at his barracks but insisted it was not intended to instill fear among colleagues.

He elaborated that his goal was to gain media attention to enhance his credibility with Iranian intelligence contacts. Having joined the army at age 16 and reached out to someone connected with Iranian intelligence at 17, he later contacted MI6 expressing interest in becoming a double agent. Throughout his testimony, Mr. Khalife asserted that all information provided to Iranian operatives was fabricated or worthless and expressed embarrassment over his espionage aspirations inspired by a plot from the television series Homeland.