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Epping Hotel Expatriate Who sexually assaulted a woman and a 14 year old girl Recaptured after accidentally breaking out of jail.
Hadush KebatuThe man, who was accidentally released from HMP Chelmsford, was arrested by Metropolitan Police officers following a major search in the Finsbury Park area of London at around 8.30am on Sunday.
The 41-year-old man was supposed to have been sent to an immigration detention center for deportation, but that did not happen. released by mistake on friday,
Essex Police said he boarded a London-bound train at Chelmsford railway station at 12.41pm after the error.,
At 6pm that night when Metropolitan Police detectives began searching for the sex offender, he was seen on CCTV inside a library in Dalston Square, Hackney.
Officers were able to track him down to Finsbury Park on Sunday morning after receiving reports from members of the public.
After his capture, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said Kebatu would be deported and vowed “we must ensure this never happens again” as the government faces questions over the blunder.
In a statement on Twitter, he said: “Hadush Kebatu has been arrested and will be deported.
“Officers have worked quickly and diligently to bring him back into custody. We have ordered an investigation to find out what went wrong.”
Justice Secretary David Lammy said he had already ordered “immediate strengthening of release checks” and a full investigation and thanked police for their “swift and thorough work” to bring him back into custody.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said the sex offender would be deported “as soon as possible”.
Chelmsford MP Mary Goldman called for a rapid national investigation into the incident, saying, “It is unacceptable that the safety of my constituents and the people of London was ever put at risk.”
Mr Lammy said on Friday he was “furious on behalf of the public” and urged Kebatu to recuse himself after the major mistake.
A delivery driver described seeing Kebatu return to HMP Chelmsford “four or five times” in a “very confused” state, but prison staff turned him away and directed him towards the railway station.
A prison officer has been removed from the duties of releasing prisoners while the error is investigated.
In September, Kebtu was jailed for 12 months and made the subject of a five-year sexual harm prevention order for five offences, with a judge warning that he was at “significant risk of re-offending”. He was also added to the UK sex offenders register for 10 years.
His crimes sparked major protests and counter-protests outside The Bell Hotel in Epping, where he was staying, and eventually in hotels. Housing asylum seekers across the country,
During a three-day hearing at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court on 7 July he told two teenagers he “wanted to have a baby with each of them” and attempted to kiss them.
He then placed his hand on one of the girl’s thighs and stroked her hair, the court heard.
The Ethiopian national, who had come to Britain on a small boat a few days earlier, was also found sexually assaulting a woman by trying to kiss her, placing his hand on her leg and calling her beautiful.
Sentencing Kebatu last month, a judge told him his behavior “really highlights the poor respect you have for women”.
Commander James Conway, who oversaw the operation to find Kebatu, said: “This has been a diligent and fast-paced investigation led by specialist officers from the Metropolitan Police, supported by Essex Police and British Transport Police.
“Acting on information received from the public, officers arrived at Finsbury Park and following a search they located Mr Kebatu. He was detained by police but will be returned to the custody of the Prison Service.
“I am extremely grateful for the public support following our appeal, which helped to find Mr Kebtu.”