In a case that has ignited public outrage and fierce political debate, a convicted sex offender and migrant, Hadush Kebatu, remains at large after being mistakenly released from HMP Chelmsford on the morning of October 24, 2025. The ensuing manhunt, now led by the Metropolitan Police, has put a sharp spotlight on the UK's criminal justice and immigration systems, with critics from all sides demanding answers and accountability.
According to the Metropolitan Police, Kebatu, 41, was released from prison after serving just one month of a year-long sentence for sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl. Under the UK Borders Act 2007, Kebatu, an Ethiopian national who arrived in the UK by small boat, should have been transferred to a deportation centre following his conviction. Instead, a series of blunders led to his accidental release—a mistake that would take prison staff more than an hour to realize, giving Kebatu a significant head start.
CCTV footage and eyewitness accounts have pieced together Kebatu's movements after his release. At 12:41 PM on October 24, he boarded a London-bound train from Chelmsford Station, arriving at Stratford just after 1:12 PM. Later that evening, he was seen in the Dalston area of Hackney, still dressed in his prison-issue grey tracksuit and carrying a distinctive white bag decorated with avocados. Additional CCTV showed him inside a library in Dalston Square around 6:00 PM, and police believe he has since made several journeys across London, possibly aided by access to personal funds.
As reported by Sky News, confusion surrounded Kebatu's release from the outset. A delivery driver, identified only as Sim, recounted seeing Kebatu return to the prison in a "very confused" state, repeatedly asking staff, "Where am I going? What am I doing?" According to Sim, Kebatu was aware that he was meant to be deported but received only vague instructions from staff to leave and head to the train station. "He kept scratching his head and saying, 'Where do I go, where do I go?'" Sim recalled. "In my eyes, he was trying to do the right thing. He knew he was getting deported, but he didn't know where he was going or how he should get there." A Ministry of Justice spokesperson later confirmed that this account was accurate.
The gravity of the situation has not been lost on officials or the public. Health Secretary Wes Streeting, speaking to Sky News, described the case as "incredibly serious," emphasizing, "This man was behind bars because of serious sex offences. He is not meant to be in this country. In fact, what was supposed to be happening is he was meant to be transferred for deportation." Streeting pledged a full investigation, stating, "We don't want to prejudge the investigation, we will get to the bottom of exactly what's gone wrong." He also acknowledged the wider impact on public trust: "There is a deep disillusionment in this country at the moment, and I would say a growing sense of despair about whether anyone is capable of turning this country around."
Commander James Conway of the Metropolitan Police echoed the urgency, telling the press, "Finding Hadush Kebatu is a top priority. The manhunt is being led by an experienced Senior Investigating Officer. He has teams from the Specialist Crime Command with expertise in tracking down wanted people at his disposal, as well as other resources from across the Met." Conway also made a direct appeal to Kebatu: "We want to locate you in a safe and controlled way. You had already indicated a desire to return to Ethiopia when speaking to immigration staff. The best outcome for you is to make contact directly with us by either calling 999 or reporting yourself to a police station."
The political fallout has been swift and severe. Labour’s new deputy leader Lucy Powell called the incident "a big mistake," vowing, "We need to find him quickly and make sure that he's deported, and that's what we'll be determined to do." Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer described the mistaken release as "totally unacceptable," adding, "I am appalled that it has happened and it's being investigated. The police are working urgently to track him down, and my Government is supporting them. This man must be caught and deported for his crimes."
Opposition leaders were quick to seize on the error as emblematic of deeper systemic issues. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch criticized what she described as "a level of incompetence that beggars belief," while Tory justice spokesman Robert Jenrick called the case "a parable for how the British state consistently fails the British people." Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp was even more direct, stating, "It is disgraceful that a dangerous convicted paedophile who attacked a 14-year-old girl has been allowed to vanish. Illegal immigrants ought to be deported within a week, but the Government is too weak to do that." Reform UK’s Nigel Farage simply declared, "Britain is broken."
The case has also reopened debate about the government’s handling of the migrant crisis and the management of prisoners awaiting deportation. The UK prison service’s annual digest revealed that in the 12 months leading up to March this year, 262 prisoners were released in error in England and Wales—a 128% increase from the previous year and the highest number ever recorded. Marie Goldman, the Liberal Democrat MP for Chelmsford, remarked, "If this sort of thing can happen at Chelmsford then it is very likely that it can happen elsewhere."
The impact on those directly affected has been profound. The father of Kebatu’s young victim told Sky News that he felt "let down" by the justice system and "frustrated" that Kebatu was able to escape prison after attacking his daughter. District Judge Christopher Williams, who sentenced Kebatu, had described him as posing a "significant risk of reoffending," and called his actions "disgusting and sickening," highlighting his "poor regard... for women." Kebatu was given a five-year sexual harm prevention order and placed on the sex offenders' register for ten years.
As the search continues, police have urged the public to remain vigilant and report any sightings of Kebatu immediately by calling 999. The Ministry of Justice has launched an urgent investigation, with at least one prison staff member removed from duty pending the outcome. For many, however, the damage to public confidence in the system has already been done, raising uncomfortable questions about how such a "spectacular" failure could occur—and what must change to prevent it from happening again.
With the manhunt ongoing and political leaders trading blame, the case of Hadush Kebatu stands as a stark reminder of the stakes when public safety, justice, and immigration policy collide—and of the profound consequences when the system fails.
