London Police Arrest Ethiopian Migrant Sex Offender After Mistaken Release
Hadush Kebatu, an Ethiopian migrant and convicted sex offender, was arrested by London’s Metropolitan Police on Sunday following a brief manhunt. He had been mistakenly released onto the streets after serving time.
This situation began when Kebatu, who was found guilty on multiple charges including the sexual assault of a 14-year-old girl outside a hotel for asylum seekers in Epping, was slated to be moved to an immigration detention facility for deportation. Instead, he was accidentally set free from HMP Chelmsford on Friday, prompting authorities to search for him.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting announced that Attorney General David Lammy would oversee an investigation into the circumstances surrounding Kebatu’s release. He expressed concern about how a person with such a serious record could end up back on the streets, stating it was unacceptable.
Interior Minister Shabana Mahmoud assured the public that Kebatu would be deported “as soon as possible.”
Commander James Conway, who led the operation to apprehend Kebatu, stated that the investigation had been thorough and swift. Thanks to a public tip-off, officers located Kebatu in Finsbury Park, where he was taken into custody and returned to prison.
Protests sparked across the nation in response to Kebatu’s actions, particularly regarding the government’s plan to house asylum seekers in hotels within local communities. The focus remained on the safety of children, raising concerns about unvetted foreign men being in close proximity to families.
Nigel Farage, leader of the Reform UK party, criticized the incident as another example of systemic failures in Britain. He and his party have pledged to shut down migrant hotels and deport all illegal immigrants.
