Ex-soldier 'went to McDonald's and M&S while on the run after prison escape' - court told

Daniel Khalife, 23, was formerly based at barracks in Stafford

An ex-soldier who allegedly escaped from prison 'visited McDonald's and M&S' before he was caught by police, a court has heard. Former Stafford-based soldier Daniel Khalife is alleged to have strapped himself to the bottom of a food delivery truck during his prison escape.

Prison staff raised the alarm after realising Khalife was missing during a headcount. The 23-year-old was later spotted in Mountain Warehouse, Marks and Spencer, Sainsbury's and McDonald's, the court heard.

When he was finally located by police, Khalife allegedly said: "I don't know how immigrants do it". In his opening of the case, prosecutor Mark Heywood KC said Khalife 'quite deliberately escaped' from HMP Wandsworth, in south London.

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He managed to break free after being escorted to the kitchen where he worked in 2023, the prosecutor said. Mr Heywood told jurors on Wednesday (October 9): "On the morning of September 6 after being escorted from the cell he was then occupying down to the kitchen, when at that time he had a job helping out on Trinity Wing the kitchen duties, he quite deliberately escaped."

Khalife - who joined the Army two weeks before his 17th birthday in 2018 - denies escaping from the London prison, where he was on remand. Jurors were told that police pieced together his movements after his alleged escape.

On September 6, he went to Mountain Warehouse. He was pictured in an M&S and Sainsbury's the next day, Mr Heywood said.

Pointing jurors to the images, the prosecutor said: "You'll notice by now he's wearing a face mask and different clothing." Khalife was seen at a McDonald's on the day of the arrest, he added.

His absence was discovered during a headcount, with all movement in the prison then suspended. The court was told that a delivery truck had come to the rear of the kitchen area.

A truck of the same description was stopped in Upper Richmond Road at about 8.40am, Mr Heywood said. The driver explained that he had been contacted by his head office, searched his truck twice and could not find anybody inside or underneath it.

Police found nothing but pallets and a trolley, the court heard. A dog unit joined and 'appeared to show special interest to the back and rear of the lorry', so officers searched underneath.

Officers found a 'makeshift sling' which could 'support an individual', Mr Heywood said. The truck driver was shown a photograph of the missing man who he recognised immediately 'as the person who was due to be there to help him but he didn't show up', the jury was told.

Mr Heywood said: "He clearly did show up but didn't reveal himself." Khalife was arrested on a canal towpath in west London on September 9.

He had a number of items with him including a mountain bike, a Waitrose bag with a phone, receipts a diary and about £200 in notes, the jury was told. After his arrest, Khalife said: "I don't know how immigrants do it", the court heard.

The defendant was examined and found with scratches to his lower legs, the prosecution said. Khalife 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.

He is also 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.