UK - Chelmsford - Manhunt for convicted sex offender Hadush Kebatu released from HMP Chelmsford in error (24 Oct '25) *Re-arrested*

[bobbymkii]

• Sex offender who sparked asylum protests freed by mistake
• Mistakenly released prisoner boarded train for London, police say
• Prison Service officer removed from duties
• PM says he 'must be caught and deported'
• 'Furious' deputy PM and justice secretary says he's 'appalled'
• MP 'struggling' not to call for prison governor's resignation
  
  

  Kebatu manhunt latest: Epping hotel sex offender boarded London-bound train; Starmer says he 'must be caught'

  Police have launched a manhunt to find an asylum seeker jailed for sexually assaulting a teenage girl who has been accidentally freed. Officers in Essex say he boarded a train for London after the release error. Follow the latest below.

  news.sky.com

 

[Lucy6226]

How does that even happen?! It's either incompetence or a planned escape disguised as an 'error'. Moo

 

[Parker Knoll]

We are literally a laughing stock.

 

[Gators North]

We are literally a laughing stock.

It happens in the U.S. too.

 

[tedtink]

​

Number of prisoners released in error more than doubled in a year, data shows​

A report by His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service said 262 prisoners were released in error from April 2024 to March 2025.​

Number of prisoners released in error more than doubled in a year, data shows

A report by His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service said 262 prisoners were released in error from April 2024 to March 2025.

www.independent.co.uk

 

[bobbymkii]

We are literally a laughing stock.

It's like that episode of Brass Eye.

This was the one thing we didn't want to happen!

 

[Skigh]

How does that even happen?! It's either incompetence or a planned escape disguised as an 'error'. Moo

My money is on that it was not an error .

 

[bobbymkii]

Mistakenly released prisoner boarded train for London - Essex Police​

Essex Police say Hadush Kebatu boarded a train for London this afternoon after he was mistakenly released.

The force said:

"We were informed by the prison service at 12.57pm today (Friday 24 October) of an error this morning surrounding the release of an individual.

"As a result of that, we have launched a search operation to locate them and are working closely with partner agencies.

"These fast-paced enquiries have shown that the man boarded a London-bound train at Chelmsford Railway Station at 12.41pm.

"We understand the concern the public would have regarding this situation and can assure you we have officers working to urgently locate and detain him.

"We would appeal to anyone who has seen him or has any information regarding where he might be to call 999 immediately and quote 0474 of 24 October."

BBM. The train from Chelmsford to London Liverpool Street takes just over half an hour. If he got on at 12:41 then he will have been in London since just after 1pm.

He wouldn't even have had to pay for a ticket probably I live in London and just about everyday I see people barge through the ticket barriers right in front of station staff who do absolutely nothing about it!

Kebatu manhunt latest: Family of girl assaulted by sex offender feel 'massively let down and infuriated' by his mistaken release

Police have said they have found and arrested Hadush Kebatu, after he was mistakenly freed from prison on Friday. Video obtained by Sky News shows the moments after his arrest, as police loaded the sex offender into a van. Watch that and follow the latest below.

news.sky.com

 

[Kittypoo]

How does that even happen?! It's either incompetence or a planned escape disguised as an 'error'. Moo

I wondered if he’d blackmailed/threatened a staff member to escape.

 

[iamshadow21]

I wondered if he’d blackmailed/threatened a staff member to escape.

My answer to that would be Hanlon's Razor. This is more likely to be, like most incorrect releases, a simple mistake. Entirely possible it's a computer error, and the staff followed what the computer said without questioning.

I only hope that error doesn't allow him to assault a new victim.

MOO

 

[Gators North]

Mistakenly released prisoner boarded train for London - Essex Police​

Essex Police say Hadush Kebatu boarded a train for London this afternoon after he was mistakenly released.

The force said:



BBM. The train from Chelmsford to London Liverpool Street takes just over half an hour. If he got on at 12:41 then he will have been in London since just after 1pm.

He wouldn't even have had to pay for a ticket probably I live in London and just about everyday I see people barge through the ticket barriers right in front of station staff who do absolutely nothing about it!

Kebatu manhunt latest: Family of girl assaulted by sex offender feel 'massively let down and infuriated' by his mistaken release

Police have said they have found and arrested Hadush Kebatu, after he was mistakenly freed from prison on Friday. Video obtained by Sky News shows the moments after his arrest, as police loaded the sex offender into a van. Watch that and follow the latest below.

news.sky.com

I just came here to ask where he would have gotten the money for a train. A bit OT, but every time Mr Gators North and I went to England back in the 90’s, we bought a BritRail pass. Is that even a thing anymore?

 

[tedtink]

Video appears to show mistakenly released hotel asylum seeker in Chelmsford

A video shared online appears to show Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu walking along Chelmsford high street.

www.bbc.co.uk

Wonder where he picked up 'The War Cry' Salvation Army mag in his bag?

ETA -I found the answer to my own question.

‘War Cry is big in prison,’ says Major Alex Cadogan, a prison chaplain at HMP North Sea Camp. ‘It’s well received by a broad number of prisoners because it brings positivity, hope, fun and humour. The quizzes are very popular.’

War Cry: ‘It’s big in prison’

George Tanton learns about the life-changing impact that War Cry has in prisons.

www.salvationist.org.uk

 

[tedtink]

I just came here to ask where he would have gotten the money for a train. A bit OT, but every time Mr Gators North and I went to England back in the 90’s, we bought a BritRail pass. Is that even a thing anymore?

He was given money when he 'left' prison.
He was handed a £76 subsistence payment to cover a week's expenses according to the DT.

Access Restricted

 

[Gators North]

He was given money when he 'left' prison.
He was handed a £76 subsistence payment to cover a week's expenses according to the DT.

Access Restricted

Thank you for the information.

 

[Telltale]

I'm guessing he was discharged by the usual prisoner processing procedures.

So it was likely either money he had when he came in, or a travel warrant or the equivalent fare to get back to his parol address.

It serves nobody to release prisoners into the local area with no way back to their address/support systems. Travel money/ticket/pass is pretty common.

Bit if a f*ck up by the prison that. Probably owe local police a baked something for the manpower it tied up.

Doesn't even sound like it's this dudes fault. Police are frantically hunting for him down while he's likely having a great day, he got to go home early. If you got told your getting out unexpectedly, you'd assume something had been decided without you and just be glad to gtfo as soon as.

 

[tedtink]

I'm guessing he was discharged by the usual prisoner processing procedures.

So it was likely either money he had when he came in, or a travel warrant or the equivalent fare to get back to his parol address.

It serves nobody to release prisoners into the local area with no way back to their address/support systems. Travel money/ticket/pass is pretty common.

Bit if a f*ck up by the prison that. Probably owe local police a baked something for the manpower it tied up.

Doesn't even sound like it's this dudes fault. Police are frantically hunting for him down while he's likely having a great day, he got to go home early. If you got told your getting out unexpectedly, you'd assume something had been decided without you and just be glad to gtfo as soon as.

I doubt he has a parole address, or home. He was living in an asylum Hotel prior to his sex offences and was set to be transferred to an immigration centre today, ahead of his deportation, according to this article.
Three Police Forces looking for him now, must be costing a friggin' fortune imo.

Access Restricted

 

[tedtink]

"The father of the 14-year-old girl who was assaulted by Kebatu was visibly upset as he turned up at Chelmsford jail asking for answers after his daughter's assailant was accidentally released.

He told Sky News' home news correspondent Mollie Malone that he felt "let down" by every authority, and "frustrated" at the thought of Kebatu being able to escape prison custody, after attacking his daughter in the summer.

"The justice system has let us down," the girl's father said."

Manhunt for Epping hotel asylum seeker, jailed for sexually assaulting girl, after accidental release

Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu had been staying at The Bell Hotel in the Essex town, with the incident fuelling weeks of protests at the site.

news.sky.com

 

[tedtink]

​

'The anger is off the charts!' Adam Brooks speaks from Epping as protests erupt after accidental release of jailed migrant.​

Adam Brooks speaks from Epping as protests erupt after accidental release of jailed migrant

Hadush Kebatu boarded a London-bound train at Chelmsford Railway Station at 12.41pm today

www.gbnews.com

 

[Telltale]

"The father of the 14-year-old girl who was assaulted by Kebatu was visibly upset as he turned up at Chelmsford jail asking for answers after his daughter's assailant was accidentally released.

He told Sky News' home news correspondent Mollie Malone that he felt "let down" by every authority, and "frustrated" at the thought of Kebatu being able to escape prison custody, after attacking his daughter in the summer.

"The justice system has let us down," the girl's father said."

Manhunt for Epping hotel asylum seeker, jailed for sexually assaulting girl, after accidental release

Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu had been staying at The Bell Hotel in the Essex town, with the incident fuelling weeks of protests at the site.

news.sky.com

Yeah, hard to argue with him on that one.

 

[tedtink]

DBM