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The Systemic Failure

How a Convicted Sex Offender Was Mistakenly Freed from a British Prison

Monday, 27 October 2025 11:36

Abstract

The erroneous release of Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, an Ethiopian asylum seeker convicted of sexual assault, from HMP Chelmsford has exposed profound administrative failures within the UK's justice and deportation systems. The incident, which triggered a two-day manhunt and political crisis, highlights a dramatic increase in mistaken prisoner releases and has prompted an urgent, independent inquiry into the integrity of the nation's penal institutions.

The Chelmsford Blunder

The failure of the prison system became public on Friday, 24 October 2025, when Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, an Ethiopian national, was mistakenly released from His Majesty’s Prison (HMP) Chelmsford in Essex. Kebatu, a convicted sex offender, was supposed to be transferred to an immigration detention centre for deportation, not released into the community. The error occurred just one month into his 12-month custodial sentence. The Prison Service notified Essex Police of the error at 12:57 pm on the day of the release, initiating a high-profile, multi-force manhunt. Eyewitness accounts from a delivery driver suggested Kebatu himself was confused by his release, reportedly returning to the prison gates four or five times over a ninety-minute period, asking where he was meant to go. He was allegedly turned away by prison staff and directed toward Chelmsford railway station. Kebatu, who was wearing a prison-issue grey tracksuit and carrying a plastic bag of his possessions, subsequently boarded a train to London. He was later spotted in the Dalston area of Hackney on Friday evening. The search, led by the Metropolitan Police and supported by Essex Police and the British Transport Police, concluded on Sunday morning, 26 October 2025. Following a tip-off from a member of the public, officers located and arrested Kebatu in the Finsbury Park area of North London at approximately 8:30 am. He was detained for being unlawfully at large and was returned to the custody of the Prison Service.

A History of Offence and Controversy

Kebatu’s case had already drawn significant public and political attention months before his mistaken release. He arrived in the UK on 29 June 2025, having crossed the Channel in a small boat after paying people smugglers for passage. Just over a week later, on 7 and 8 July 2025, he committed a series of sexual offences in Epping, Essex, where he was being housed at the Bell Hotel, a facility used for asylum seekers. The offences included sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl and a woman, and he was found guilty of five offences in September 2025. During his trial, the court heard that Kebatu had told a probation officer he found the UK to be 'too strict' and that it was his 'firm wish' to be deported. The district judge, Christopher Williams, described Kebatu’s actions as ‘ignorantly and repulsively’ manipulative, noting that his remorse appeared to be for the impact of his actions rather than the offences themselves. The initial arrest in July 2025 sparked a wave of anti-immigration protests outside the Bell Hotel, which were exploited by far-right activists and led to clashes with police and counter-protesters. The hotel, which housed approximately 130 asylum seekers, became a focal point for national debate on migration policy.

The Human and Political Fallout

The news of Kebatu’s accidental release caused immediate distress to his victims and their families. The father of the teenage victim stated that the news caused his daughter 'so much stress and anxiety' and that she feared seeing her attacker in the high street. The family expressed feeling 'massively let down and infuriated' by the prison, police, justice system, and the government. Compounding the failure, the victim’s father was reportedly alerted to the release by a journalist, not by the authorities. The political reaction was swift and severe, with Justice Secretary David Lammy stating he was 'livid on behalf of the public' and calling the error an 'egregious failure'. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer described the mistake as 'totally unacceptable' and confirmed an investigation had been ordered. Lammy confirmed that Kebatu would be deported 'this week' following police questioning. Communities Secretary Steve Reed conceded that the justice system was 'broken' and attributed the systemic issues to staffing cuts made by the previous Conservative administration. Opposition politicians, including Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp, demanded apologies and accountability from the Justice and Home Secretaries.

A System Under Strain

The mistaken release of Kebatu is not an isolated incident but a symptom of a wider crisis within the prison system in England and Wales. Government figures published in July 2025 revealed that 262 prisoners were released in error in the year to March 2025. This figure represents a 128 per cent increase from the 115 mistaken releases recorded in the previous 12 months. Of the 262 errors, 233 occurred from prison establishments, with the remainder happening at courts. The rise in errors has been linked to administrative pressures, including staff shortfalls and changes to early release procedures. HMP Chelmsford, the site of the blunder, was noted in a January/February 2024 inspection by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons for facing 'considerable pressures' due to 'national capacity issues' and staff shortages in key departments. The history of such failures includes high-profile cases with devastating consequences, such as the mistaken release of William Fernandez in 2021, who went on to commit further sexual assaults, and the case of serial rapist Joseph McCann in 2019. The Criminal Justice Workers Union (CJWU) president, Aaron Stowe, called Kebatu’s release 'a profound failure of duty' and demanded immediate reforms.

The Promise of Inquiry and Reform

In response to the public outcry, Justice Secretary David Lammy announced he would outline the terms of reference for a full independent inquiry in Parliament on Monday, 27 October 2025. The inquiry is intended to establish precisely what went wrong and who was accountable for the administrative failure at HMP Chelmsford. In the immediate aftermath of the incident, Lammy ordered the 'immediate strengthening of release checks' across all prisons in England and Wales. The new mandatory procedures require prison governors to provide assurance that enhanced checks have been carried out before any inmate is discharged. However, the Chief Inspector of Prisons, Charlie Taylor, noted that he had not yet seen the detailed checklist for these new checks. Senior prison staff have voiced concerns that the new mandatory checks will only add to the already excessive workload and pressure on a system struggling with staff shortages. The political and institutional focus remains on ensuring that the systemic failures that led to Kebatu’s erroneous release are addressed, with the government vowing to prevent any recurrence of such a critical public safety breach.

Conclusion

The accidental release of Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu has become a potent symbol of the deep-seated issues plaguing the UK’s prison and immigration systems. The incident, which saw a convicted sex offender walk free for nearly 48 hours, has not only caused immense distress to the victims and their families but has also severely eroded public confidence in the integrity of the justice system. The dramatic increase in mistaken releases over the past year points to a system buckling under the weight of administrative pressure, staff shortages, and capacity issues. While the government has promised a full independent inquiry and immediate enhancements to release protocols, the challenge lies in implementing meaningful, long-term reforms that address the root causes of the systemic failure, rather than merely adding layers of bureaucracy to an already strained workforce. The deportation of Kebatu, which is expected to proceed swiftly, will close the chapter on his presence in the country, but the questions surrounding the competence and resourcing of the institutions responsible for public safety will continue to demand answers.

References

  1. A timeline of Epping sex offender's arrival in the UK to his rearrest after prison error

    Provides a detailed timeline of Kebatu's arrival, offences, and the events of his mistaken release and subsequent manhunt, including the detail about him trying to return to the prison.

  2. Timeline of how manhunt for wrongly-released sex offender migrant Hadush Kebatu unfolded

    Offers a precise timeline of the manhunt, including when police were informed, his train journey, and the time and location of his arrest.

  3. Prisons to carry out extra checks before releasing inmates

    Confirms the introduction of new mandatory enhanced checks, the political reaction from Lammy and Starmer, the context of Kebatu's conviction, and the significant increase in mistaken releases (262 in the year to March 2025).

  4. Mistakenly freeing prisoners 'more common because of changes to release'

    Provides the specific number of mistaken releases (262) and the percentage increase (128%), links the rise to changes in release procedures, and cites the inspection report noting pressures and staff shortfalls at HMP Chelmsford.

  5. Epping sex offender back in custody after release from prison in error

    Details Kebatu's conviction (12 months for five offences, including sexual assault of a 14-year-old girl and a woman), the judge's comments, the political reaction, and the involvement of the Criminal Justice Workers Union.

  6. How many prisoners are released by mistake? | UK News

    Provides the breakdown of mistaken releases (233 from prisons, 29 from courts) and cites previous high-profile cases of mistaken release, such as William Fernandez and Joseph McCann, for context.

  7. England and Wales prison checks to be enhanced after inmate released in error

    Confirms the Justice Secretary's plan to set out measures, the Communities Secretary's comment that the system is 'broken,' the victim's father's reaction, and the Chief Inspector of Prisons' comment on the lack of detail for the new checks.

  8. Mistaken Prison Release Sparks Manhunt And Political Uproar

    Provides the context of administrative errors, the 'egregious failure' description, the promise to outline the inquiry's terms of reference, and the general political fallout.

  9. Prisons to start 'strengthened' checks after migrant released in error | North Wales Chronicle

    Confirms the Justice Secretary will set out measures in Parliament, the Communities Secretary's blame on the previous administration's cuts, and the opposition's demand for apologies.

  10. Prisons to start 'strengthened' checks after migrant released in error | Hexham Courant

    Reinforces the details of the enhanced checks, the political blame, and the commitment to deportation.

  11. Epping migrant sex offender to be 'deported' this week as victim's father says mistaken release caused 'so much stress and anxiety'

    Focuses on the human impact, quoting the victim's father on the stress and anxiety caused, and confirms Lammy's plan to announce the inquiry's terms of reference in Parliament.

  12. Number of prisoners released in error more than doubled in a year, data shows

    Provides the specific data on the increase in mistaken releases (262 from April 2024 to March 2025, up from 115) and the definition of 'released in error'.

  13. London police arrest asylum-seeker who was mistakenly released from prison | PBS News

    Confirms the arrest location, the asylum seeker status, the context of the anti-migrant protests, and the suspension of a prison officer.

  14. A timeline of Epping sex offender's arrival in the UK to his rearrest after prison error

    Provides the specific date of the mistaken release (24 October 2025), the detail of him being seen in a grey prison tracksuit, and the Prime Minister's reaction.

  15. Asylum seeker Hadush Kebatu jailed for 12 months for sexually assaulting woman and 14-year-old girl

    Details the nature of the sexual assaults, the judge's comments on his lack of genuine remorse, and his stated wish to be deported.

  16. UK asylum seeker jailed for sex assault freed by mistake instead of being deported

    Confirms the details of the conviction, the Justice Minister's outrage, and the context of the protests at the Bell Hotel, including the number of asylum seekers housed there.