Ministers have been urged not to scapegoat prison staff following the mistaken release of asylum seeker Hadush Kebatu, who sexually assaulted a 14-year-old girl while living in asylum accommodation. Kebatu was freed from HMP Chelmsford on Friday instead of being sent to an immigration detention centre, sparking a two-day manhunt that ended with his arrest in Finsbury Park.
Justice Secretary David Lammy blamed “human error” and announced an inquiry chaired by former Metropolitan Police deputy commissioner Lynne Owens. However, the Prison Officers’ Association (POA) criticised the suspension of a single discharging manager, arguing that at least two more senior staff were involved in the process. POA national chair Mark Fairhurst described the suspension as “unjust”.
Chief Inspector of Prisons Charlie Taylor warned against blaming an individual, calling the release “symptomatic of a systemic problem”. He noted that serious mistakes at HMP Chelmsford and other prisons reflect “chaos” in the system, with early releases rising sharply. Official figures show 262 prisoners were released in error in the year to March 2025, a 128% increase on the previous year.
Kebatu, an Ethiopian national, had been sentenced for sexual assault and was earmarked for deportation under an early removals scheme. The investigation will determine whether his deportation status was missed during release checks. In response, Lammy introduced a five-page “ticklist” for prison officers to verify prisoner details, including tattoos and scars, before release.
