UK Deports Ethiopian Sex Offender After Prison Release Blunder

Hadush Kebatu, an Ethiopian asylum seeker and convicted sex offender, was deported by the UK government after being mistakenly released from prison. Kebatu, 38, had served part of a one-year sentence for sexually assaulting a teenage girl and a woman in Epping, Essex. He was unintentionally freed from HMP Chelmsford due to a prison service error, prompting a nearly 48-hour police manhunt before his re-arrest in London. The Home Secretary described the release as a blunder that “should never have happened” and confirmed that Kebatu was deported with no right to return to the UK.

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The initial arrest of Kebatu last July sparked violent protests in Epping targeting hotels housing asylum seekers, which increased political pressure on the government. In response, Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced plans to phase out the use of hotels for asylum housing by 2029, instead proposing the use of former military sites to ease community tensions. The policy shift follows a parliamentary report criticizing the Home Office’s management of asylum housing and suggesting billions were wasted.

An independent investigation into the mistaken release has been launched by Justice Secretary David Lammy, amid revelations that such errors have been increasing lately. Kebatu’s case highlights ongoing controversy and challenges in the UK’s asylum seeker accommodation and immigration enforcement processes.