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Sexual abuse

British Police Launch Manhunt for Asylum-Seeker Sentenced for Sexual Assault

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

British authorities are conducting a search for Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, an Ethiopian national who was mistakenly released from prison in Chelmsford, Essex, after being sentenced to 12 months for five offenses, including the sexual assault of a 14-year-old girl. Kebatu was wrongly categorized as a prisoner due to be released, instead of being sent to an immigration detention center, and was last seen in the London area. Three police forces are working together to locate him, scouring hours of closed-circuit TV recordings and tracking his movements.

Key Takeaways:

  • Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, a 38-year-old Ethiopian national, was sentenced to 12 months in prison for five offenses, including the sexual assault of a 14-year-old girl.
  • Kebatu was mistakenly released from prison in Chelmsford, Essex, after being wrongly categorized as a prisoner due to be released, instead of being sent to an immigration detention center.
  • Multiple police forces, including Essex Police, are working together to locate Kebatu, using hours of closed-circuit TV recordings to track his movements.
  • The Prison Service has launched an investigation and removed a prison officer from discharging duties while the investigation takes place.
  • Kebatu's arrest and prosecution prompted thousands of people to protest outside the Bell Hotel in Epping, northeast of London, as well as other hotels housing migrants in various British cities and towns.
  • The protests were attended by far-right activists and resulted in disorder, as well as counterprotests by the group Stand Up to Racism.
  • The situation has raised concerns over unauthorized migration, particularly the tens of thousands of migrants crossing the English Channel in overloaded boats to reach the U.K.
  • The Labour government's policy of using hotels to house migrants who are awaiting a decision on their asylum status has been a source of tension for some time.

Statistics:

  • 38: The age of Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu
  • 12 months: The prison sentence handed down to Kebatu
  • 5 offenses: The number of offenses Kebatu was convicted of, including the sexual assault of a 14-year-old girl
  • Thousands: The estimated number of people who protested outside the Bell Hotel in Epping, northeast of London
  • Tens of thousands: The estimated number of migrants who crossed the English Channel in overloaded boats to reach the U.K.

Sources:

  • "British police said Saturday they were scouring hours of closed-circuit TV recordings to find an asylum-seeker sentenced for sexual assault who was mistakenly released from prison."
  • "Ethiopian national Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, 38, was 'last seen in the London area,' Essex Police said Saturday, adding that officers from three separate forces were working together in the investigation."
  • "He was sentenced in September to 12 months in prison for five offenses, including the sexual assault of a 14-year-old girl in July in Epping, on the outskirts of London, just over a week after he had arrived in England by boat."
  • "Authorities said they were alerted Friday afternoon that Kebatu was released by mistake at a prison in Chelmsford, Essex, and was seen catching a train there."
  • "British media reported that he was wrongly categorized as a prisoner due to be released, instead of being sent to an immigration detention center."
  • "The Prison Service launched an investigation, and a prison officer has been removed from discharging duties while that takes place."

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