London, AP – an asylum seeker, sentenced to 12 months in a British prison for sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl, was mistakenly released on Friday, triggering an urgent manhunt for a man whose case sparked anti-migration protests across the country.
Ethiopian citizen Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, whose case became the catalyst for a wave of anger toward migrants across the United Kingdom during the summer, was mistakenly released from Chelmsford Prison before deportation.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he was shocked by this completely unacceptable release.
“The police are urgently working to catch him, and my government supports them.”
– Keir Starmer
“This person must be caught and deported for his crimes.”
– Keir Starmer
Details of how Kebatu ended up free remain hazy, but Essex Police, based northeast of London, said they were alerted around 1:00 p.m. to the “error of that morning linked to the release of a particular individual.” They said officers were working on an urgent search and arrest after spotting him getting on a train in Chelmsford.
The Prison Service has launched an investigation, and one of the prison officers was suspended from duty during the inquiry.
Aaron Stow, president of the Criminal Justice Workers’ Union, which represents prison staff, called Kebatu’s mistaken release a “deep breach of duty” and a “betrayal of victims, the community, and the principles of justice”.
Kebatu was found guilty last year of five offenses, including sexual assault, inciting a girl to sexual activity, and stalking.
His arrest and trial prompted thousands of people to protest outside the Bell Hotel in Epping, northeast of London, where he lived with other migrants. In other British towns protests against migrant hotels took place, some attended by far-right activists and escalated into clashes.
The Stand Up to Racism group also held counter-protests.
Kebatu arrived in England by boat just over a week before authorities said he had approached a 14-year-old girl in Epping, attempted to kiss her and touched her thigh; there are also reports of sexual assault on a woman who intervened.
Kebatu’s lawyer said that he had wanted to be deported after serving his sentence.
Tensions over illegal migration continue – notably due to pressure of large flows crossing the English Channel in overcrowded boats, and the government’s policy of using hotels to house migrants awaiting asylum decisions.
Critics say this costs taxpayers millions of pounds, while hotels become flashpoints in communities and leave migrants feeling targeted by locals.
Reactions and consequences
The incident highlighted the severity of the debate over immigration policy and the use of hotels to house people awaiting asylum decisions. The investigation is ongoing, and law enforcement authorities vow to continue examining the circumstances surrounding the mistaken release and to heighten vigilance on security and deportation issues.