Essex Police confirmed he was spotted boaring a London-bound train
An asylum seeker who was accidentally released from prison where he was serving time for sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl has been spotted boarding a London-bound train, Essex Police said. Ethiopian national Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, 38, who had been living at the Bell Hotel in Epping, was jailed for 12 months in September.
The Sun first reported on Friday that he was meant to be sent to an immigration detention centre to be deported but was freed by mistake. A statement from Essex Police said that it had officers “working to urgently locate and detain him” after he was seen to catch a train at Chelmsford railway station.
It said: “We were informed by the prison service at 12.57pm today (Friday 24 October) of an error this morning surrounding the release of an individual. As a result of that, we have launched a search operation to locate them and are working closely with partner agencies.
“These fast-paced enquiries have shown that the man boarded a London-bound train at Chelmsford Railway Station at 12.41pm. We understand the concern the public would have regarding this situation and can assure you we have officers working to urgently locate and detain him.”
Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy said he is “appalled” by the error. “We are urgently working with the police to track him down and I’ve ordered an urgent investigation,” he said. Kebatu must be deported for his crimes, not on our streets.”
It is understood Kebatu was accidentally freed on Friday morning at HMP Chelmsford. A prison officer has been taken off duties to discharge prisoners while an investigation is under way.
A Prison Service spokesman said: “We are urgently working with police to return an offender to custody following a release in error at HMP Chelmsford. Public protection is our top priority and we have launched an investigation into this incident.”
Reacting to the incident, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said: “The Epping hotel migrant sex attacker has been accidentally freed rather than deported. He is now walking the streets of Essex. Britain is broken.”
Sentencing Kebatu last month, a judge told him his behaviour “really highlights the poor regard you must have for women”. The 38-year-old, who arrived in the UK on a small boat days before the incidents in July, told two teenagers he wanted to “have a baby with each of them” and attempted to kiss them, before going on to put his hand on one of the girls’ thighs and stroke her hair, his trial was told.
He was also found to have sexually assaulted a woman by trying to kiss her, putting his hand on her leg and telling her she was pretty. The migrant was found guilty of five offences following a three-day trial at Chelmsford and Colchester magistrates’ courts in September.
The court heard at his sentencing hearing it was his “firm wish” to be deported. It is understood the Home Office was ready to take him to an immigration removal centre before a planned deportation from the UK. Kebatu’s case led to protesters and counter-protesters taking to the streets in Epping, Essex, and eventually outside hotels housing asylum seekers across the country.
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