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Deportation

Migrant Sex Offender Arrested After Two-Day Manhunt

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Hadush Kebatu, a migrant sex offender from Ethiopia, was arrested in Finsbury Park, north London, after a two-day manhunt sparked by his mistaken release from prison. Kebatu, who was wrongly freed from HMP Chelmsford on Friday morning, will be deported this week following his arrest. The arrest was facilitated by information from the public, which led police to the park and allowed them to locate Kebatu, who was subsequently detained and returned to the custody of the prison service.

Key Takeaways:

  • Hadush Kebatu, a 41-year-old migrant sex offender from Ethiopia, was mistakenly released from HMP Chelmsford on Friday morning.
  • Kebatu was serving a 12-month sentence for the sexual assault of a 14-year-old girl in Epping and was due to be deported.
  • He was wrongly freed due to a series of mistakes, including being told by prison officers that he had been released and should leave the prison.
  • Kebatu managed to evade capture for two days, making multiple train journeys across the London area and seeking assistance from several members of the public.
  • He was spotted in a library in Dalston later on Friday evening and was later seen trying to get a free night's stay at the nearby Premier Inn.
  • A prison officer has been suspended from duties pending the investigation into Kebatu's release.
  • Hadush Kebatu will be deported this week following his arrest, according to Justice Secretary David Lammy and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
  • An independent inquiry will be launched to establish what went wrong and to prevent similar incidents in the future.
  • Kebatu's victims and their families have expressed outrage and disappointment at the mistakes made by the prison and police authorities.
  • Critics have condemned the Labour government for letting Kebatu out of custody, with the Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp labeling it an "absolutely shocking" and "inept" decision.

Statistics:

  • 12 months: the length of Kebatu's sentence for the sexual assault of a 14-year-old girl in Epping.
  • 2 days: the duration of Kebatu's manhunt before he was arrested.
  • 4 or 5: the number of times Kebatu returned to the prison to ask for direction, according to a delivery driver.
  • 1: the number of charges Kebatu was facing for the assault of the 14-year-old girl.
  • £0: the amount of discharge grant given to Kebatu to cover living costs.
  • This week: the timeline for Kebatu's deportation following his arrest.

Sources:

  • The Daily Mail
  • Sky News
  • The Telegraph
  • BBC News
  • The Guardian

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