Epping Kebatu manhunt latest: Buck stops with Starmer over jailed asylum seeker released in error, says MP

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said: “Immigrant sex attacker at Epping hotel accidentally released rather than deported. He is now walking the streets of Essex. Britain is devastated.”

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said Hadush Kebatu’s release was “astonishing incompetence”.

He told Channel 4 News: “There’s only one group of people to blame for this and that’s the Labor government.

“They released a dangerous sex offender who attacked a 14-year-old girl just eight days after entering the country illegally, and now they’ve released him.”

Essex Police said the manhunt for the asylum seeker continues, and sex offender Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu was seen in the London area.

“Investigations are continuing apace this morning to locate and arrest a man following a release error by the Prison Service yesterday,” the force said in a statement on Saturday morning.

“Officers from Essex Police, the Metropolitan Police and British Transport Police are working together on this fast-moving and complex investigation.

“Officers worked through the night to track his movements, including combing through hours of CCTV footage, and this work continues today.

“Our investigations show he was last seen in the London area and that is our focus.

“We would appeal to anyone who sees him, knows his whereabouts or has information to call 999 immediately.

“We thank the public for their support and shared information.

“It is not lost on us that this situation concerns people and we are determined to find and arrest him as quickly as possible.”

Sentencing Hadush Kebatu last month, a judge told him his behavior “underlined what a poor attitude you have towards women”.

At his trial, it was stated that the 38-year-old man, who came to England on a small boat days before the events in July, told two young people that he wanted to “have a baby with each of them” and tried to kiss them, then put his hand on the hip of one of the girls and caressed her hair.

It was also revealed that he sexually assaulted a woman by trying to kiss her, placing his hand on her leg and telling her she was beautiful.

The migrant was found guilty of five offenses following a three-day trial at Chelmsford and Colchester magistrates’ courts in September.

The court heard at the sentencing hearing that he had a “firm desire” to be deported.

The Home Office is understood to be prepared to take him to an immigration removal center ahead of his planned deportation from the UK.

The asylum seeker, who was accidentally released from HMP Chelmsford yesterday, was last seen in London, Essex Police said.

Police said investigations “continue apace this morning.”

“Officers worked throughout the night to track his movements, including combing through hours of CCTV footage, and this work continues today,” Essex Police said.

“Our investigations show he was last seen in the London area and that is our focus.”

Police asked anyone who sees him or knows his whereabouts to call 999 immediately.

A report by HM Inspectorate of Prisons following an inspection in January and February 2024 said HMP Chelmsford was facing “significant pressures” due to “national capacity issues” and was experiencing staff shortages in the reception and pre-release team.

He stated: “Leaders faced serious pressure last year due to national capacity problems.

“The incarcerated and unsentenced population increased to nearly 70 percent, and the prison was now managing more admissions, transfers, and immediate releases without additional resources.”

The report added: “Turnover of arrivals and evacuees was high and increased by approximately a third in 2023 compared with 2022.”

262 prisoners were mistakenly released in England and Wales in the 12 months to March this year, according to the prison service’s annual summary.

“This is a 128 percent increase from 115 the previous year and the highest figure in the time series,” the report said.

“Of the 262 people who were wrongly released, 233 were wrongly released from prison facilities and 29 were wrongly released in the courts.”

Marie Goldman, Liberal Democrat MP for Chelmsford, called for a swift public inquiry into the broadcast, adding that the problem was “much bigger than one member of staff”.

He said: “How can it be the responsibility of a single member of staff to decide whether or how to release a prisoner?

“So I think there are very big questions that need to be answered on this issue.”

Ms Goldman also told PA she was “frustrated” by the lack of communication with HMP Chelmsford governor Mark Howard and was “struggling” not to call for him to resign.