Epping sex offender Hadush Kebatu deported to Ethiopia, Home Office confirms | UK news
A convicted child sex offender who arrived in the UK on a small boat and was mistakenly released from prison has been deported, the Home Office said.
The statement stated that Hadush Kebatu arrived in Ethiopia in the early hours after being taken from England on a non-return flight.
His case had come to symbolize the UK’s desperation to control irregular migration and the growing chaos in criminal justice.
The Ethiopian national was mistakenly released from HMP Chelmsford on Friday morning rather than being sent to an immigration detention centre.
Kebatu was living at the Bell Hotel in Epping, Essex, when he sexually assaulted a 14-year-old girl and a woman. After his mistaken release from prison, he traveled to London and was arrested on Sunday morning after a two-day manhunt.
The Interior Ministry said Kebatu was airlifted on a flight to Ethiopia on Tuesday night and arrived on Wednesday morning.
Home Affairs Minister Shabana Mahmood said: “Last week’s mistake should never have happened and I share the public’s anger about it. I would like to thank the police for quickly detaining Mr Kebatu and the public for their sensitivity.
“I have used every lever to deport Mr Kebatu and remove him from British territory. I am pleased to confirm that this despicable child sex offender has been deported. Our streets are safer because of it.”
Asylum seeker Kebatu, who crossed the Channel in a small boat on 29 June, was housed in Epping. Eight days after his arrival, Kebatu made sexually explicit remarks to a 14-year-old girl who was eating pizza with her friend in Epping town centre.
The next day, he sexually assaulted a woman and tried to kiss her. He also tried to kiss the 14-year-old girl he had met by chance the day before.
The allegations sparked public unrest outside the hotel in Epping, which has become a flashpoint between far-right activists and anti-racism campaigners. It also sparked a series of protests outside hotels in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Kebatu was found guilty of two counts of sexual assault, harassing the girl, inciting her to engage in sexual activity and attempted sexual assault, and was sentenced in September to 12 months in prison followed by deportation. Kebatu stated at his hearing that he wanted to be deported.
He was mistakenly released from prison on Friday morning when he was supposed to be taken to an immigration detention center.
At the entrance to the prison, Kebatu was observed by a delivery driver returning to the prison “confused” many times for over an hour and a half, only to be turned away. He reportedly told prison officers he needed to be deported but was told to go downtown.
Police officers eventually directed him to the train station, according to reports. He was eventually caught in Finsbury Park, north London, on Sunday morning.
Chelmsford MP Marie Goldman said Kebatu’s wrongful release had caused “huge damage to public trust” and that people deserved a “full answer” to how this mistake happened.
Justice Minister David Lammy announced an investigation had been launched and blamed “human error” for the incident. One manager was suspended until the investigation was completed.
Liberal Democrat Goldman said: “While I am relieved that this saga is over and Hadush Kebatu has finally been deported, that does not excuse the disastrous failures that have led to this point.
“It is completely unacceptable that public safety was put at risk. This was a very serious mistake and my constituents now deserve a full answer as to how such a serious failure was allowed to happen.”
“The findings of the independent investigation into what happened must not be set aside. This has caused huge damage to public trust. We cannot afford to make another blunder on this scale.”
