UK Migrant Sex Offender Mistakenly Released By London Prison Staff, Re-Arrested

Last Updated:October 26, 2025, 21:01 IST

Hadush Kebatu, sentenced for 12 months for sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl and a woman in Essex, was accidentally released by prison staff, sparking a two-day manhunt.

Hadush Kebatu was mistakenly released from prison staff at London's HMP Chelmsford. (Photo: X)

A migrant in the United Kingdom, who was arrested for alleged sex offences, was mistakenly released by the prison staff due to an error before he was set to be deported, sparking a two-day manhunt that caused ripples within the country’s political circles, according to a report by the BBC.

Hadush Kebatu, who was sentenced last month for sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl and a woman in Epping while living in an asylum hotel, was due to be deported when he was mistakenly set free by prison staff at HMP Chelmsford. He was re-arrested on Sunday.

He was serving a 12-month sentence at the time of the incident. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer says Kebatu “will be deported" and Justice Secretary David Lammy has ordered a full investigation into Friday’s release.

How Was The Suspect Freed?

The police launched a manhunt to locate Kebatu after police were informed by the Prison Service that there had been “an error" and he had been mistakenly released. Prison sources told the BBC that the staff led him away and towards the train station. Kebatu also reportedly attempted to return to prison but was turned away.

Police said Kebatu was filmed in Chelmsford city centre speaking to members of the public shortly after he was released, and approached several people seeking assistance. He is also believed to have made several train journeys across London.

The massive blunder caused by the prison staff set off a political storm in the UK as opposition lawmakers called for a thorough probe into the circumstances that led to the mistaken release. Little has emerged so far on how Kebatu was freed, and a prison officer has been suspended pending an investigation into the matter.

How Was Kebatu Re-Arrested?

The London Metropolitan Police said a member of the public tipped off police that they had spotted a man they believed could be Kebatu at a bus stop near Finsbury Park station on Sunday morning. Officers were sent to the area and located him 16 minutes later.

“Hadush Kebatu, who was released in error from HMP Chelmsford on Friday morning, has been arrested," said the police in a statement. “Information from the public led officers to Finsbury Park and following a search, they located Mr Kebatu. He was detained by police, but will be returned to the custody of the Prison Service."

Prime Minister Starmer said Kebatu will be deported, among similar calls by MPs. “Officers have worked quickly and diligently to bring him back into custody. We have ordered an investigation to establish what went wrong. We must make sure this doesn’t happen again," he said.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood also said Kebatu will be deported “as quickly as possible" and thanked the police forces for their “tireless work" in locating the sex offender.

Who Is Hadush Kebatu?

Kebatu was sentenced to 12 months for sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl and a woman in Epping, Essex. He was found guilty of two counts of sexual assault, one count of attempted sexual assault, one count of inciting a girl to engage in sexual activity, and one count of harassment without violence.

In September, Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court heard Kebatu tried to kiss a teenage girl on a bench and made numerous sexually explicit comments. The next day, he allegedly encountered the same girl and tried to kiss her before sexually assaulting her. However, Kebatu denied the charges against him but was found guilty of five offences. During his trial, the court heard it was Kebatu’s “firm wish" to be deported.

His accidental release from prison sparked a war of words among British lawmakers. Far-right Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said the incident showed that the UK’s “once-trusted institutions were disintegrating before our eyes."

Conservative MP Neil Hudson has described Kebatu’s arrest as a “huge relief" and demanded that the Labour government take full responsibility for this major breach.

Aveek Banerjee

Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master's in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international...Read More

Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master's in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international...

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