The Metropolitan Police have taken charge of a fast-moving manhunt for Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, a convicted sex offender who was mistakenly released from HMP Chelmsford on Friday and is now believed to be in the London area, police said. Essex Police had earlier led the search after CCTV showed Kebatu boarding a London-bound train from Chelmsford; the Met said on Saturday there was a “high level of confidence” he remains in the capital and surrounding boroughs.
Kebatu, an Ethiopian national, was jailed in September after being convicted of sexual assaults including an attack on a 14-year-old girl; he received a 12-month custodial sentence and was subject to a sexual harm prevention order. He had been due to be transferred to immigration detention for deportation when the error occurred.
Essex Police said CCTV shows Kebatu caught a train at Chelmsford railway station and alighted at Stratford, prompting the initial search. As information emerged that linked his movements into the London transport network, responsibility for the operation was transferred to the Met to co-ordinate a city-wide response. Police have appealed to the public not to approach him and to report sightings immediately.
The Prison Service has launched an internal investigation into the circumstances of the erroneous release. Sky News and other outlets reported that a prison officer has been removed from duty while the matter is probed; political leaders — including Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy and Prime Minister Keir Starmer — expressed outrage, demanding urgent answers and assurances over public safety. Critics described the incident as symptomatic of wider staffing and systemic pressures in the prison estate.
Kebatu’s initial arrest and later conviction earlier this year provoked high-profile protests in Epping and other towns where hotels and temporary accommodation were used for asylum seekers; the case has since become politically charged and heightened public concern about immigration and community safety. Law-makers and local officials have called for a swift, transparent inquiry and for steps to ensure such errors cannot recur.
Police said multiple forces remain involved in the search and urged anyone with information to contact 999 if they believe they have located Kebatu, or 101/online forms for non-emergency information. Officers reiterated that members of the public should not attempt to approach the man themselves.
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