A man who had served time for sexually assaulting a woman and a 14-year-old girl was mistakenly released from jail and was spotted boarding a train to London. The individual, identified as Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, a 38-year-old Ethiopian national residing at the Bell Hotel in Epping, had been sentenced to 12 months in prison back in September. Essex Police reported the incident of him boarding a train heading to London.
Following the inadvertent release, a manhunt has been initiated to locate the escaped prisoner. Reports indicate that he was supposed to be transferred to an immigration detention center for deportation but was erroneously set free. Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy expressed his dismay at the oversight and stated that efforts are underway to locate Kebatu and initiate an urgent investigation to rectify the mistake. It is believed that Kebatu was mistakenly released from HMP Chelmsford on Friday morning.
As a consequence of the incident, a prison officer has been relieved from prisoner discharge duties pending an investigation. A spokesperson from the Prison Service mentioned that they are collaborating with the police to ensure the prompt return of the offender to custody after the erroneous release from HMP Chelmsford.
During his trial, it was revealed that the 38-year-old asylum seeker, who had recently arrived in the UK via a small boat, made inappropriate advances towards two teenagers by expressing his desire to have a child with each of them. He proceeded to try to kiss them, touched one girl’s thigh, and stroked her hair, as per the trial proceedings. The case stirred up demonstrations in Epping, Essex, with both supporters and opponents of asylum seekers gathering in protest, extending to hotels accommodating asylum seekers nationwide.