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Deportation

Asylum Seeker Who Sexually Assaulted Teenager Accidentally Released from Jail

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Hadush Kebatu, a 38-year-old asylum seeker, was meant to be deported back to Ethiopia but was instead released from HMP Chelmsford due to a human error. The mistaken release has sparked outrage and protests from the public, with Kebatu at large in London. The incident is a further blow to the UK government, coming days after a migrant removed to France returned to Britain via a small boat. The prison officer who authorized the release has been removed from duties while an investigation takes place.

Key Takeaways:

  • Hadush Kebatu, a 38-year-old asylum seeker, was released from HMP Chelmsford due to a human error, despite being meant for deportation back to Ethiopia.
  • Kebatu was sentenced to 12 months in prison for sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl and another woman, and was initially due to be deported as soon as possible.
  • The prison officer who authorized his release has been removed from duties while an investigation takes place.
  • Kebatu was given a £76 subsistence payment to cover his first week's expenses, and is at large in London.
  • The UK government has pledged to strengthen deportation procedures, with the legislation introduced in June reducing the time foreign criminals have to serve in a UK jail before they can be deported from 50% to 30%.
  • Kebatu was one of over 200 prisoners who were released in error in 2023-24, with 87 prisoners freed due to mistakes in the release process and 71 the year before.
  • The Liberal Democrat MP for Chelmsford, Marie Goldman, has called for a rapid public inquiry into the incident, stating that "the people of Epping will be furious" at the blunder.
  • The Conservative Party leader, Kemi Badenoch, has placed blame on the Labour Party, stating that "Conservatives voted against Labour's prisoner release programme because it was putting predators back on our streets."
  • Nigel Farage, the leader of Reform, has stated that "Britain is broken" in response to the incident.

Statistics:

  • 87 prisoners were freed in error in 2023-24.
  • 71 prisoners were freed in error the year before.
  • 37 prisoners were released in error last autumn after their offenses were wrongly included in the scheme.
  • The UK government has introduced legislation reducing the time foreign criminals have to serve in a UK jail before they can be deported from 50% to 30%.
  • £76 - the amount of subsistence payment given to Kebatu to cover his first week's expenses.

Sources:

  • The Telegraph
  • The Times
  • The Guardian
  • The Daily Mail
  • The Express

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