Prime minister Sir Keir Starmer and Justice secretary David Lammy should take responsibility for the blunder which led to jailed asylum seeker Hadush Kebatu to be accidentally released from prison, Epping Forest’s Tory MP has said.
Ethiopian national Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, 38, was accidentally released from where he was serving time for sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl. The asylum seeker, who had been living at the Bell Hotel in Epping, was jailed for 12 months in September.
Epping Forest MP Neil Hudson told BBC Radio 4’s Today: “This sounds like an operational error, but the buck has to stop somewhere, and it has to stop at the top, at the Justice Secretary, the Home Secretary and the Prime Minister.”
Jailed asylum seeker Hadush Kebatu was “last seen in the London area”, Essex Police have said, as three police forces are searching for him.
Kebatu was meant to be sent to an immigration detention centre to be deported, but was freed by mistake. An officer at the prison has been removed from duty while officials investigate the error, The Independent understands.
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Key Points
- Three police forces working on joint operation to find Kebatu
- How was he freed from prison?
- Kebatu 'last seen in London' according to Essex Police
- Tory MP claims Starmer and Lammy should take responsibility for Kebatu blunder
- Mapped: The train journey Hadush Kebatu is believed to have taken on Friday
11:15
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Bryony Gooch
Essex Police said Kebatu was seen to catch a London-bound train at Chelmsford railway station at 12.41pm.
The Greater Anglia train stopped at Shenfield and Stratford before arriving at London Liverpool Street at 13.18pm, according to Trainline data.
It is understood Kebatu was accidentally freed on Friday morning at HMP Chelmsford.
Watch: David Lammy 'livid’ that Hadush Kebatu ‘is at large’ as manhunt launched after accidental prison release
11:00
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Bryony Gooch
Recap: Farage says 'Britain is broken' as search for Kebatu continues
10:45
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Bryony Gooch
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said: “The Epping hotel migrant sex attacker has been accidentally freed rather than deported. He is now walking the streets of Essex. Britain is broken.”
Recap: Kebatu release was 'staggering incompetence'
10:30
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Bryony Gooch
Shadow home secretary Chris Philp said that Hadush Kebatu’s release was “staggering incompetence”.
He told Channel 4 News: “There is only one group of people to blame for this, and that is the Labour government.
“They’ve let out a dangerous sex offender who preyed on a 14-year-old girl just eight days after entering the country illegally, and now they’ve let him out.”
Kebatu last seen in London: Read the full statement from Essex Police
10:15
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Bryony Gooch
Convicted sex offender Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu has been seen in the London area, Essex Police said as a manhunt for the asylum seeker continues.
“Inquiries are continuing at pace this morning to locate and arrest a man following a Prison Service releasing error yesterday,” the force said in a statement on Saturday morning.
“Officers from Essex Police, the Metropolitan Police and British Transport Police are working together in this fast-moving and complex investigation.
“Officers worked throughout the night to track his movements, including scouring hours of CCTV footage, and this work continues today.
“Our inquiries show that he was last seen in the London area, and this is our focus.
“We would urge anyone who sees him, knows where he is or has any information to call 999 immediately.
“We would like to thank the public for their support and the information they have already shared.
“It is not lost on us that this situation is concerning to people, and we are committed to locating and arresting him as quickly as possible.”
Recap: Inside Hadush Kebatu's court case
10:00
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Bryony Gooch
Sentencing Hadush Kebatu last month, a judge told him his behaviour “really highlights the poor regard you must have for women”.
The 38-year-old, who arrived in the UK on a small boat days before the incidents in July, told two teenagers he wanted to “have a baby with each of them” and attempted to kiss them, before going on to put his hand on one of the girls’ thighs and stroke her hair, his trial was told.
He was also found to have sexually assaulted a woman by trying to kiss her, putting his hand on her leg and telling her she was pretty.
The migrant was found guilty of five offences following a three-day trial at Chelmsford and Colchester magistrates’ courts in September.
The court heard at his sentencing hearing it was his “firm wish” to be deported.
It is understood the Home Office was ready to take him to an immigration removal centre before a planned deportation from the UK.
Kebatu 'last seen in London' according to Essex Police
09:53
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Bryony Gooch
Essex Police says the asylum seeker who was accidentally freed at HMP Chelmsford yesterday was last seen in London.
The force said that enquiries are "continuing at pace this morning".
"Officers worked throughout the night to track his movements, including scouring hours of CCTV footage, and this work continues today," Essex Police said.
"Our enquires show that he was last seen in the London area, and this is our focus."
The force has encouraged anyone who sees him or knows where he is to call 999 immediately.
HMP Chelmsford faces 'considerable pressures' because of 'national capacity issues'
09:45
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Bryony Gooch
A report by HM Inspectorate of Prisons following an inspection in January and February 2024 said that HMP Chelmsford faced “considerable pressures” because of “national capacity issues” while suffering staff shortfalls in reception and the pre-release team.
It stated: “Leaders had faced considerable pressures over the past year because of national capacity issues.
“The remand and unsentenced population had risen to almost 70 per cent and the prison was now managing more admissions, transfers and immediate releases without additional resource.”
The report added: “The turnover of arrivals and releases was high and had increased by about a third in 2023 when compared with 2022.”
128 per cent increase in prisoners released in error
09:33
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Bryony Gooch
In the 12 months leading up to March this year, 262 prisoners were released in error in England and Wales, according to the prison service’s annual digest.
“This is a 128 per cent increase from 115 the previous year, and the highest in the time series,” the report said.
“Of the 262 releases in error, 233 of these releases in error occurred from prison establishments, while 29 were released in error at the courts.”
Chelmsford MP calls for rapid public inquiry
09:24
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Bryony Gooch
Chelmsford’s Liberal Democrat MP Marie Goldman called for a rapid public inquiry into the release, adding that the problem was “far bigger than a member of staff”.
She said: “How could it possibly just be the responsibility of one single member of staff to decide whether to release or not a prisoner, or how to release a prisoner.
“So, I think there’s huge questions to be answered about this.”
Ms Goldman also told PA she had been “frustrated” by a lack of communication from HMP Chelmsford’s governor, Mark Howard, and said she was “struggling” not to call for him to resign.
Pictured: Hadush Kebatu's mugshot
09:20
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Bryony Gooch
Prison officer taken off duty to discharge prisoners while investigation under way
09:16
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Bryony Gooch
A prison officer has been taken off duties to discharge prisoners while an investigation is under way.
A Prison Service spokesman said: “We are urgently working with police to return an offender to custody following a release in error at HMP Chelmsford.
“Public protection is our top priority and we have launched an investigation into this incident.”
Aaron Stow, the president of the Criminal Justice Workers’ Union (CJWU), said Kebatu’s mistaken release is “a profound failure of duty”.
He said: “The release of Hadush Kebatu is a betrayal of the victims, the community, and the principles of justice. We demand a full investigation and immediate reforms to ensure this never happens again.”
Starmer calls Kebatu release 'unacceptable'
09:13
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Bryony Gooch
Sir Keir Starmer said the accidental release was “totally unacceptable”.
The Prime Minister said: “I am appalled that it has happened and it’s being investigated.
“The police are working urgently to track him down, and my government is supporting them.
“This man must be caught and deported for his crimes.”
Mapped: The train journey Hadush Kebatu is believed to have taken on Friday
09:10
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Bryony Gooch
What we know about Epping hotel migrant who was mistakenly freed from prison
09:08
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Bryony Gooch
Watch: David Lammy 'livid’ that Hadush Kebatu ‘is at large’ as manhunt launched
09:02
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Bryony Gooch
What was Kebatu convicted of?
08:59
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Bryony Gooch
Kebatu was found guilty of five offences following a three-day trial at Chelmsford and Colchester magistrates’ courts in September.
He told two teenagers he wanted to “have a baby with each of them” and attempted to kiss them, before going on to put his hand on one of the girls’ thighs and stroke her hair, his trial was told.
He was also found to have sexually assaulted a woman by trying to kiss her, putting his hand on her leg and telling her she was pretty.
Kebatu was jailed for 12 months and made the subject of a five-year sexual harm prevention order, with a judge warning he posed a “significant risk of reoffending”.
He was also added to the UK sex offenders’ register for 10 years, which means he is supposed to be subject to strict monitoring.
Tory MP claims Starmer and Lammy should take responsibility for Kebatu blunder
08:52
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Bryony Gooch
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Justice Secretary David Lammy should take responsibility for the blunder which led Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu be accidentally released from prison, Epping Forest’s Tory MP said.
Ethiopian asylum seeker Kebatu, 38, was jailed for sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl, a crime which triggered protests at the Bell Hotel in Epping where he had been staying.
Epping Forest MP Neil Hudson told BBC Radio 4’s Today: “This sounds like an operational error, but the buck has to stop somewhere, and it has to stop at the top, at the Justice Secretary, the Home Secretary and the Prime Minister.
“They have said that they are livid and appalled. Well, quite right, they should be livid and appalled. But that’s that’s not good enough, and the Labour Government needs to get a grip of this issue.
“They need to apprehend this man, but they’ve got to sort this issue out, and that’s what my constituents, who are deeply distressed and upset are saying.”
How was he freed from prison?
08:50
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Bryony Gooch
Kebatu was meant to be sent to an immigration detention centre to be deported, but was freed by mistake. He was wrongly categorised as a prisoner due to be released on licence and handed a £76 discharge grant, The Telegraph reported.
An officer at the prison has been removed from duty while officials investigate the error, The Independent understands.
Videos circulated online appeared to show a man resembling Kebatu in Chelmsford town centre shortly after his release, wearing a grey tracksuit and carrying a plastic bag.
Essex Police said he boarded a London-bound train at Chelmsford railway station at 12.41pm following the error.
The Greater Anglia train stopped at Shenfield and Stratford before arriving at London Liverpool Street at 13.18pm, according to Trainline data.
Three police forces working on joint operation to find Kebatu
08:49
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Bryony Gooch
Essex Police, British Transport Police and the Metropolitan Police are all searching for Hadush Kebatu, who was accidentally released from prison.
Essex Police said they were informed by the prison service at 12.57pm of the error and have launched an investigation.
The force said enquiries have shown that Kebatu “boarded a London-bound train at Chelmsford railway station at 12.41pm”.
Kebatu still at large as manhunt continues
08:47
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Bryony Gooch
Hadush Kebatu, the migrant who sexually assaulted a 14-year-old girl while staying at the Bell Hotel in Epping, remains at large after he was accidentally released from prison.
We will keep you updated with the latest lines as this develops.