Asylum seeker freed in error from prison seen taking train to London

An asylum seeker who was accidentally released from prison where he was serving time for sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl has been spotted boarding a London-bound train, Essex Police said.

Ethiopian national Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, 38, who had been living at the Bell Hotel in Epping, was jailed for 12 months in September.

Justice Secretary David Lammy said on Friday night Kebatu was “at large in London” and the Metropolitan Police was assisting in the hunt for him.

The Sun first reported on Friday that he was meant to be sent to an immigration detention centre to be deported but was freed by mistake.

A statement from Essex Police said that it had officers “working to urgently locate and detain him” after he was seen to catch a train at Chelmsford railway station.

It said: “We were informed by the prison service at 12.57pm today (Friday 24 October) of an error this morning surrounding the release of an individual.

“As a result of that, we have launched a search operation to locate them and are working closely with partner agencies.

“These fast-paced enquiries have shown that the man boarded a London-bound train at Chelmsford Railway Station at 12.41pm.

“We understand the concern the public would have regarding this situation and can assure you we have officers working to urgently locate and detain him.”

The Greater Anglia train stopped at Shenfield and Stratford before arriving at London Liverpool Street at 13.18pm, according to Trainline data.

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.”

Deputy Prime Minister Mr Lammy said was “livid on behalf of the public” and urged Kebatu to hand himself in, telling anyone who has information on his whereabouts to call 999.

He added: “I spoke to the Home Secretary today. I have launched an investigation into what has happened in the prison service to allow this to come about.

“But the important thing is that we protect the public. The important thing is that the police are able to do their work and find this individual.”

Shadow home secretary Chris Philp said that 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.

“This is staggering incompetence, unbelievable ineptitude, by David Lammy and Shabana Mahmood.

“And children, young girls in Essex are going to be at risk tonight because of Labour’s incompetence.

“What should be happening is that within a week of arrival, illegal immigrants should be getting deported back to their country of origin if possible, or a safe third country, if not.”

He added that the proposed policy by the Conservative Party to withdraw from the European Convention on Human Rights would have enabled the Government to deport Kebatu.

Calling for a public inquiry and an apology from the Government, Mr Philp told Sky News: “We certainly need a public inquiry into how this dangerous illegal immigrant, who is also a child sex offender, got released.

“We also need an urgent apology from Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood and justice secretary David Lammy who have presided over this fiasco.”

It is understood Kebatu was accidentally freed on Friday morning at HMP Chelmsford.

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.”

Mike Rolfe, the CJWU’s general secretary, added: “The justice system is stretched to breaking point, the public’s confidence is collapsing, and those tasked with enforcing the law are left to pick up the pieces of political cowardice.”

Chelmsford’s Liberal Democrat MP Marie Goldman called for a rapid public inquiry into the release, telling the PA news agency 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.

Reacting to the incident, 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.”

Sentencing 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’s case led to protesters and counter-protesters taking to the streets in Epping, Essex, and eventually outside hotels housing asylum seekers across the country.