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An independent investigation into how a sex offender wrongfully freed instead of deported Justice Secretary, will be launched and will report its findings within weeks David Lammy has announced.
Dame Lynn OwensFormer Deputy Commissioner of metropolitan police and former Director General of National Crime AgencyMr Lammy told MPs he would look into what went wrong and make recommendations to prevent such cases.
the police had to Seek Hadush Kebutu Urgently He was freed from HMP Chelmsford at the weekend in a major blunder widespread anger,
The Ethiopian man was jailed for 12 months in September for sexually assaulting a teenage girl, but was released from prison on Friday issued incorrectly Instead of being sent to an immigration detention center.
The Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary said Dame Lynn would establish the facts of Kebatu’s release and whether staff had sufficient experience, training and technology, and would also speak to his victims to understand the impact of the mistake on them.
“Their report will highlight points of failure and make recommendations to help prevent flawed releases, which have been increasing year on year since 2021 – from an average of nine per month in 2023, to 17 per month in the period January to June 2024,” Mr Lammy said.
The status of investigation will be similar to other jail incidents including jail attacks. Three prison officers at HMP Frankland in April and this Daniel Khalife’s escape from HMP Wandsworth In 2023, he pledged.
He said the mistake was caused by human error – and that national security considerations were also involved.
Release checks will also be tightened and in future, foreign prisoners due to be deported will now be released only if the duty governor is physically present, Mr Lammy announced.
Alleging a 24 per cent real cut in prison funding under the previous government, he said there had been 800 flawed release under the Conservatives, with no full independent investigation.
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“I am angry on behalf of the victims and the public that this mistake was allowed to happen,” he said.
Mr Lammy told MPs that Kebatu was on his way to deportation.
shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick Said Kebatu’s mistaken acquittal was a national embarrassment because the criminal had Asked five times to be deported,
Chief Inspector of prisons Charlie Taylor said prisoners being released early, mistakenly or late is now an “endemic problem”.
According to government figures, 262 prisoners were released by mistake in the year to March – an increase of 128 per cent compared to the previous 12 months, during which 115 were released by mistake.
The government says it is creating 14,000 extra prison places and reforming sentencing to tackle overcrowding.