A migrant sex offender who was mistakenly released from an Essex prison was last spotted in East London on Friday evening, as reported by the Metropolitan Police.
Hadush Kebatu was seen shortly before 8 PM in Dalston, Hackney, prompting increased police presence in the area as the search for the Ethiopian national entered its third day. He was captured on CCTV earlier that day around 6 PM at a library in Dalston Square, dressed in a grey tracksuit issued by the prison and carrying a white bag adorned with avocado graphics.
Kebatu had been released from HMP Chelmsford by mistake, four weeks after receiving a sentence for sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl and a woman in Epping, Essex, while residing at an asylum hotel. While awaiting transfer to an immigration detention center for deportation, a procedural error led to his unexpected release from the facility.
Sources from the prison have informed BBC News that he was escorted towards the train station by staff. It is also reported that Kebatu attempted to return to the prison but was refused entry. After his release, he was observed in Chelmsford interacting with the public, and police confirmed that he sought help from multiple individuals.
It remains uncertain whether Kebatu, who has limited proficiency in English, is aware of the extensive search operation underway for him.
In a public appeal on Saturday evening, Cmd James Conway stated that the police aim to locate Kebatu “in a safe and controlled manner.” He added, “You previously expressed a desire to return to Ethiopia when speaking with immigration personnel. The best course of action for you is to reach out directly to us by calling 999 or reporting to a police station.”
The senior officer indicated that Kebatu has access to financial resources, which, according to BBC News, includes cash that was returned to him along with his belongings upon his release from HMP Chelmsford, in addition to a £76 payment that prisoners receive upon release.
Police have confirmed that Kebatu has traveled on several trains throughout London since his release.
Essex Police were first notified of his erroneous release at 12:57 PM on Friday, just 16 minutes after he had already boarded a train at Chelmsford, disembarking at Stratford in East London.
Justice Secretary David Lammy has called for an independent investigation into Kebatu’s release, while HM Prison Service has directed governors in England and Wales to implement additional verification measures prior to the release of inmates by Monday.
One officer has been suspended pending an investigation, but a senior staff member at the prison indicated to BBC News that the incident resulted from a series of errors, likely due to staff being overworked and understaffed. “It’s not fair to blame just one prison official,” they stated.
Kebatu’s arrest in July triggered protests outside The Bell Hotel in Epping, where he had been staying since arriving in the UK via a small boat.
In September, Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court heard that Kebatu attempted to kiss a teenage girl on a bench and made numerous sexually explicit remarks. The following day, he confronted the same girl again, trying to kiss her before sexually assaulting her. He also assaulted a woman who had offered to help him create a CV to secure employment.
While Kebatu claimed to be 38 years old during a court appearance, a judge noted that there were indications suggesting he was 41. He denied the charges but was convicted of five offenses the previous month and sentenced to 12 months in custody, which included time already served while awaiting trial—totaling 108 days in prison.
Additionally, Kebatu received a five-year sexual harm prevention order, which prohibits him from approaching or contacting any females, and was mandated to register as a sex offender for ten years.
During the trial, it was revealed that Kebatu expressed a “firm desire” to be deported. Under the UK Borders Act 2007, a deportation order is necessary when a foreign national is convicted of an offense and receives a custodial sentence of at least 12 months.
