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Asylum Seeker Freed by Mistake Arrested in London, Facing Deportation

The government has ordered a formal investigation with immediate tightening of prisoner release checks.

Overview

  • Metropolitan Police detained Hadush Kebatu near a bus stop in Finsbury Park on Sunday morning following public tip-offs.
  • Justice Minister David Lammy said Kebatu is in custody and will be deported, announcing tougher release controls and a thorough inquiry.
  • Kebatu, 38, was wrongly released on 24 October from HMP Chelmsford while due for transfer to an immigration removal centre.
  • He was sentenced in September to 12 months for sexual assaults and attempted assaults involving a 14-year-old girl and another woman in Epping.
  • Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the release totally unacceptable as the case, which had earlier prompted protests at Epping’s Bell Hotel, renewed criticism of the government.