A convicted sex offender who was mistakenly released from prison earlier this week has been rearrested in north London, prompting an immediate investigation and renewed political attacks over the handling of prisoners and immigration controls.
Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, an Ethiopian national serving a sentence for sexual assaults including against a teenage girl, was apprehended in the Finsbury Park area on Sunday after a nearly three-day manhunt prompted nationwide coverage and public alarm. Authorities said the Metropolitan Police, Essex Police and British Transport Police worked with members of the public to locate and detain him.
Kebatu was sentenced in September to 12 months’ imprisonment after convictions for sexual offences. He should have been transferred from HMP Chelmsford to an immigration removal centre for deportation, officials said, but an administrative error led to him being discharged instead of transferred. The erroneous release occurred on Friday, triggering urgent internal reviews at the Ministry of Justice.
CCTV and witness reports showed Kebatu travelling around London after leaving custody; police appealed to the public for information and circulated footage while the search continued. His recapture in Finsbury Park followed tips from members of the public and coordinated police patrols. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and the Justice Secretary condemned the mistake and ordered an investigation into how the error happened.
The incident has produced a fierce political reaction. Opposition parties and campaigners described the release as an unacceptable blunder; the government pledged tightened procedures for prisoner releases and immediate checks across the prison estate. Ministers said Kebatu would be deported as soon as legally possible once removal arrangements are in place.
The case has also re-ignited debate over the accommodation and processing of asylum seekers after earlier protests about Kebatu’s presence at an Essex hotel. Campaign groups and critics of the government’s immigration policy seized on the episode to argue for systemic changes, while others urged calm and caution pending the official investigation. The Ministry of Justice said it would publish the findings of its probe and take disciplinary or procedural action as necessary.
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