EXCLUSIVE: Teenager who was handcuffed by police because he looked like runaway terror suspect Daniel Khalife reveals how he was mistakenly arrested after his shift working in kitchen and confesses he’s been fending off cougars ever since
A teenager, handcuffed by cops because he looked like runaway terror suspect Daniel Khalife, has spoken about his ordeal and the extraordinary sexual reaction it generated.
A video of the youngster being questioned by dozens of officers at Banbury Train Station went viral yesterday as the hunt for missing Khalife intensified.
Army soldier Khalife escaped from Wandsworth Jail on Wednesday by clinging to the underside of a van. He was there on remand for terror-related charges including helping an enemy state and ran off wearing chef’s overalls.
But Horatio Castille said the only thing he had in common with Khalife was that they both worked in kitchens.
Not that the 19-year-old was wearing red check trousers when he was apprehended – he was dressed in a black tank top and black jeans and was on his way to a signing session for a band in London.
Teenager Horatio Castille (pictured), handcuffed by cops because he looked like runaway terror suspect Daniel Khalife, has spoken about his ordeal and the extraordinary sexual reaction it generated
A video of the youngster being questioned by dozens of officers at Banbury Train Station went viral yesterday as the hunt for missing Khalife intensified
Army soldier Khalife (pictured) escaped from Wandsworth Jail on Wednesday by clinging to the underside of a van. He was there on remand for terror-related charges including helping an enemy state and ran off wearing chef’s overalls
‘I had just finished my shift, working in a kitchen as it happens, and got to Banbury station at 1230 to catch the 1240 train to Marylebone,’ he said.
READ MORE: Police confirm sighting of Britain’s most wanted man Daniel Khalife crawling out from under van after prison breakout as detectives issue pictures of kitchen uniform the ‘Iranian spy’ was wearing and offer £20,000 reward
‘I was on my way to a signing for a band I like and just sat down on the platform and waited. Then a couple of officers came walking down the platform and suddenly they turned to me and said they needed to talk to me.
‘They put me in handcuffs straight away and I asked them what I had done. I have never been in handcuffs before, never been in trouble with the police and my mind was racing as to what I had done.
‘They said someone had reported that I looked like some man who had escaped from prison. I was not even aware that such a thing had happened.’
As he sat in handcuffs on the platform, Horatio recalled how dozens of other officers began flooding into the Oxfordshire train station.
‘One man watching shouted “Police brutality”, but they were not hurting me and I knew they’d got it wrong so I stayed calm.
‘They showed me a picture of the wanted man holding a phone. I told them the face was too wide, the hair was different and he had a different phone to me.
‘Another officer showed me a different photo and I could see the likeness but I kept on smiling because I knew I’d be OK.’
In the end, a mobile scanner took Horatio’s finger print which confirmed he was not Daniel Khalife.
After the video of his arrest went viral, Horatio, who was born in Britain and whose parents are from Germany and Argentina, created a Twitter profile to clarify what had happened.
‘I knew that lots of people I know in Banbury would have seen the video so I just wanted to take control of the situation and put what happened out there,’ he said.
The response, however, shocked him. Having spent the day with a pack of police on his trail, he spent the evening fending off a pack of Cougars (older women who like younger men).
The broody profile picture he used sent some users into a frenzy.
One user @OfficialGracie wrote: ‘Yh, get yourself a modelling contract,’ and @bisousluv put: ‘We support you and love you honey don’t even worry bout it fine boy.’
Another, @crackgalore wrote: ‘Hi I’m available any day of the week’, and included a raunchy video to underline the message.
And @vloneshaz said: ‘You don’t need to clarify anything, we understand x (check your dms).’
Horatio, who is single, said: ‘I was so surprised. I have never had such a response before. I was being hit on by girls and boys.
‘I never thought I was particularly good looking. I work out and I enjoy playing guitar and singing but had never made a big impression.
‘It is nice to know people thought I was good looking but I am not going to take advantage of it.’
But Horatio Castille (pictured) said the only thing he had in common with Khalife was that they both worked in kitchens
Horatio, who is single, said he had received even more pointed messages sent to him directly.
Other Twitter users urged him to take action against the police with some recalling the fatal shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes, another innocent man confused with a terror suspect, and shot dead on the transport network.
‘I am really not qualified to talk about such things,’ said Horatio, who only left school last year. ‘When the police realised I was not who they thought I was, they apologized a lot and took off the handcuffs.
‘I have no idea if they were entitled to handcuff me. They said I was not under arrest, just that I had to answer some questions.
‘I realise the police have a job to do so I won’t be taking it further. I am just a regular guy.
‘My friends all thought it was funny, as did my parents. It’s my five minutes of fame, that’s it.’
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