A serious failure in police procedure led to the mistaken release of an Ethiopian asylum seeker who had been convicted of sexually assaulting a teenage girl in central London, the Daily Mail can reveal.
The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was supposed to be transferred to immigration authorities after serving his sentence for the attack. However, due to what sources describe as a "catastrophic administrative error," Metropolitan Police officers incorrectly processed his release back into the community.
System Failure Puts Public at Risk
The alarming incident occurred when police failed to notify the Home Office about the offender's impending release, breaching standard safeguarding protocols designed to protect the public from dangerous individuals.
According to police sources, the error was only discovered during a routine audit, prompting an urgent manhunt to locate and re-detain the convicted sex offender.
Victim Safety Concerns
The teenage victim and her family were reportedly devastated upon learning about the administrative blunder that allowed her attacker back onto London's streets. The case has raised urgent questions about communication between police and immigration authorities regarding foreign national offenders.
A Metropolitan Police spokesperson stated: "We are aware of this incident and have taken immediate steps to rectify the situation. An internal review has been launched to understand how this failure occurred and to prevent similar incidents in future."
Growing Pressure on Immigration System
This case emerges amid increasing scrutiny of the UK's handling of asylum seekers and foreign national offenders. Critics argue that systemic failures in border control and inter-agency communication are creating unnecessary risks to public safety.
The Home Office has been contacted for comment regarding their role in the monitoring and detention of convicted foreign offenders scheduled for deportation.
