Asylum seeker sex attacker still at large: Father of girl, 14, who was assaulted by Ethiopian says ‘justice system has let us down’ as police comb London after he was freed by mistake

While the police’s search efforts continue, an asylum seeker who was found guilty of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl has still not been caught.

Police are scouring London looking for sex offender Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, who was mistakenly released from prison yesterday.

Kebatu was last seen getting on the train to London at Chelmsford station at 12.41 last night.

The father of the girl attacked by Kebatu appeared at Chelmsford Prison yesterday to beg for answers and told Sky News he felt “let down” by the system and was “disappointed” at the idea that Kebatu was able to escape prison after attacking his daughter this summer.

‘The justice system failed us,’ he said.

Kebatu, who was sentenced to 12 months in prison for sexually assaulting a 14-year-old boy and a woman earlier this year, has £76 on him; This is the living allowance the prison gave him to cover his first week’s expenses.

Incompetent prison staff on Friday mistakenly allowed a ‘dangerous’ Channel migrant to be returned to the community instead of the Home Office immigration center where he should have been deported.

It has left Labor facing fresh questions over its handling of the migrant crisis, amid accusations of ‘breathtaking incompetence’.

Crowds gathered outside the Bell Hotel in Epping (pictured), where Kebatu had previously stayed, on Friday evening.

Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch said it showed ‘a level of incompetence that beggars belief’.

Police said the Ethiopian, whose crimes sparked protests outside the Bell Hotel in Epping, Essex, this summer, was last seen boarding a train to London at Chelmsford station at 12.41pm.

Video footage captured him in the city centre, wearing his gray prison tracksuit and holding a plastic bag containing his belongings, asking locals for directions.

Conservative Party justice spokesman Robert Jenrick said the case was ‘an example of how the British state has consistently failed the British people’.

He added: ‘It’s outrageous that victims are being failed like this. The whole saga is a national embarrassment. ‘He should have boarded the plane from the UK a long time ago.’

A senior justice source admitted: ‘This is the mother of all scumbags.’

Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy was said to be furious over what was deemed a “human error” at HMP Chelmsford, where Kebatu is being detained while awaiting deportation “imminently”.

An investigation was immediately launched and a member of the prison staff was dismissed.

Kebatu (pictured in the court sketch before his sentencing) was sentenced to 12 months in prison

‘Unrepentant’ Kebatu was jailed for a year last month after abusing his 14-year-old victim, telling her he wanted to marry her and ‘have a baby’, touching her before trying to kiss a woman who came to the terrified girl’s rescue.

His arrest led to protesters and counter-protesters taking to the streets in Epping and eventually outside hotels housing asylum seekers across the country.

Anger erupted over the mistake on Friday night, with the government accused of failing to protect victims, children and the wider public from dangerous criminals like Kebatu.

It comes amid a backlash against efforts to tackle illegal immigration after a migrant deported under France’s ‘one in, one out’ scheme resurfaced on British shores this week after re-crossing the Channel in a small boat.

Sir Keir Starmer said: ‘The faulty discharge at HMP Chelmsford is completely unacceptable. I am horrified that this happened and is being investigated. The police are working urgently to trace him and my Government is supporting them.

‘This man should be caught and deported for his crimes.’

But Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch said: ‘The whole system is collapsing under Labor rule.

‘The Conservatives voted against Labour’s prisoner release program because it was sending predators back to our streets. But this man has just been convicted.’

People (pictured) held Union flags and a St George’s Cross reading ‘Save Our Children’ outside the hotel on Friday

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp criticized Mr Lammy and Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, adding: ‘It is a shame that a dangerous convicted pedophile who attacked a 14-year-old girl has been allowed to disappear.

‘This vile man is an illegal immigrant who should be deported the moment he arrives. This is David Lammy and Shabana Mahmood’s breathtaking incompetence.

‘By releasing this dangerous illegal immigrant onto our streets, they have put our children at greater risk. They are responsible for everything he does. Illegal immigrants need to be deported within a week but the Government is too weak to do this.’

UK Reform Leader Nigel Farage said: ‘Britain has fallen apart.’

Mr Lammy said: ‘We are urgently working with the police to find him and I have ordered an urgent investigation. Kebatu should be deported for his crimes, not onto our streets.’

At his trial this summer, Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court heard Kebatu had acted ‘ignorantly and disgustingly’ by attacking the couple just eight days after arriving in the country on a small boat.

The court heard Kebatu got excited when he put his hand on the girl’s hips and stroked her hair, despite knowing she was “only 14”.

He told her he wanted to marry her and have children with her and invited her back to The Bell, where he was staying.

The immigrant, who was a sports teacher in his home country, then tried to kiss a woman who tried to intervene, then put his hand on her leg and told her she was beautiful.

After attacking the schoolgirl, Kebatu was chased to the hotel by his adult victim, who called the police.

Kebatu denied three charges of sexual assault, one of attempted sexual assault, a harassment charge and the other of attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity, but was convicted on all charges.

District Judge Christopher Williams said his “disgusting and sickening” behavior underlined his “poor respect…for women”. Defense lawyer Molly Dyas told the court after his sentencing: ‘His wish is to be deported as soon as possible.’

Kebatu was given a five-year sexual harm prevention order and placed on the sex offenders register for ten years.

Essex Police said: ‘We were notified by the prison service at 12.57am this morning that there had been an error regarding the release of a man.

‘We launched a search operation to locate them.’

The Prison Service said: ‘We are working urgently with the police to bring the offender back into custody following the wrongful release. ‘Protecting the public is our top priority and we have launched an investigation into this incident.’