General · 29 October 2025
Ethiopian Asylum Seeker Hadush Kebatu Deported After Prison Release Blunder Sparks Investigation
On October 25, Hadush Kebatu, a 41-year-old from Ethiopia, was mistakenly released from HMP Chelmsford, rather than being moved to a facility for immigration detainees. The convicted sex offender had been jailed for 12 months for sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl and woman in Epping. After a two-day manhunt, he was arrested in London and finally deported to Ethiopia. The circumstances of his offenses triggered widespread demonstrations against migrants, which took place at hotels housing asylum seekers throughout the nation. Justice Secretary David Lammy announced an independent investigation into the erroneous prison release.
Reported by ITV · How we write briefs