By Sheila McKenzie-
Convicted migrant sex offender Hadush Kebatu, who was accidentally released from prison last week, has claimed police officers completely ignored him when he attempted to hand himself in during the massive two-day manhunt. Kebatu, who is 38 years old, was deported from the United Kingdom to Ethiopia on Tuesday night, putting an end to the embarrassing security failure that ignited fierce criticism against the Home Office and Ministry of Justice.
Hadush Kebatu. Pic: Sky News
Speaking to Sky News immediately after he arrived back in Addis Ababa on Wednesday morning, Kebatu shared specific details about his unexpected release from HMP Chelmsford on 24 October and the sequence of events that followed. This shocking interview includes the migrant’s assertion that he actively sought out law enforcement, but was rebuffed.
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Pic: Sky News
Hadush Kebatu arrives in Ethiopia. Pic: Sky News
The most explosive claim from the deported offender centers on his movements the morning after he was freed from jail. Kebatu alleges he approached a police officer in London on Saturday, the day before his re-arrest, explaining his situation and his desire to return to custody.
The account details a desperate attempt to rectify the prison’s error which left him roaming free. He specifically recalled telling the officer: “I told police, look here, police I am wanted man, I am arrested, I will give you my hand, please help where is police station?” The officer allegedly dismissed his desperate appeal, simply driving away from the scene.
Kebatu maintains he fully identified himself, explicitly stating his name, nationality (Ethiopia), and the fact he was mistakenly released from Chelmsford prison. The detailed attempt to surrender himself was apparently met with complete official disinterest.
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“I am not unknown,” he insisted during the interview, frustrated by the lack of response. “The police station, where is the place? But also I go to police, I will give you my hand please help me where is the police station, take me, I am wanted.” The sheer audacity of the Ignored by Police After Wrongful Release claim has triggered an immediate rebuttal from the Metropolitan Police. The Met told Sky News officers had no evidence whatsoever to support the claims that Kebatu approached them on Saturday morning.
They countered that his actions immediately prior to his actual arrest suggested someone actively trying to evade officers, not someone genuinely seeking to surrender. The Met emphasized that officers’ actions on Sunday morning demonstrated the serious nature of the manhunt and their commitment to public safety. This strong denial highlights the immense discrepancy between Kebatu’s personal account and official police records.
The disastrous series of events began when Kebatu was released from HMP Chelmsford only one month into his 12-month custodial sentence. This catastrophic administrative mistake occurred based on the flawed expectation that immigration enforcement officers would be present to immediately pick him up for deportation processing. Kebatu claimed that following his release from the prison gate, he waited for over three hours, looking for the person or agency “responsible” for his custody.
“At that time I am waiting more than three hours… who [is] responsible for me? Where is Home Office, where is [immigration]?” he recounted, expressing his confusion and abandonment. He clearly stated that all the “experts,” referring to prison and Home Office staff, had completely ignored his situation, leaving him stranded.
Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy confirmed in the House of Commons that Kebatu was released into the community at 10.25 am on 24 October. Police reports track his subsequent movements, showing Kebatu boarded a train into London at 12.41 pm. Speaking to another Sky News team, a delivery driver who saw Kebatu outside Chelmsford prison noted the migrant appeared “confused,” having no clear idea where he should proceed. Kebatu then claimed that after leaving the prison premises, he successfully asked a passerby for directions to the train station.
The same Good Samaritan allegedly assisted him further by purchasing an £18 train ticket for his journey to London. He was later spotted that same evening in Stratford, East London, and subsequently tracked to the Dalston area of Hackney.
Kebatu’s movements the day he was released from prison. Pic: Sky News
The period he was at large demonstrates a profound failure of inter-agency communication between the prison service and the immigration teams responsible for his removal. Further internal analysis of immigration detention protocols is required to prevent a repeat of a convicted sex offender being so carelessly released.
Kebatu’s presence in the UK began after he arrived on a small boat on 29 June. Within days of his arrival, he committed two sexual assaults against a 14-year-old girl and a woman in Epping, Essex, the area where he was housed. He was found guilty of two counts of sexual assault, one count of attempted sexual assault, one count of inciting a girl to engage in sexual activity, and one count of harassment without violence. He received his 12-month sentence on 23 September. The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) quickly pointed to a statement from Justice Secretary David Lammy upon the offender’s swift deportation: “Kebatu has been returned to Ethiopia where he belongs.”
Lammy acknowledged the severity of the institutional failure, stating: “I have been clear from the outset that a mistake of this nature is unacceptable, and we must get to the bottom of what happened.” The Justice Secretary quickly established an independent investigation chaired by Dame Lynne Owens into the events that occurred last Friday. The inquiry seeks to provide the public with the answers they rightly deserve regarding the systemic breakdown. The MoJ has already introduced the “strictest checks ever seen in our prison system” in an attempt to prevent similar unacceptable errors in the future.
The sheer volume of high-profile failures necessitates rigorous independent oversight. Essex Police, the force responsible for the initial arrest, defended their conduct, telling Sky News their officers acted quickly, diligently, and professionally, securing charges that led to Kebatu’s conviction following a trial. Their swift actions contrast sharply with the later failure of the prison and immigration system to manage the offender’s release properly.
The allegation that the Ignored by Police After Wrongful Release could have been resolved sooner highlights the critical need for improved communication between all security agencies involved in offender management.
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