UK Deports Sex Offender Asylum Seeker After Mistaken Prison Release

Hadush Kebatu, an Ethiopian asylum seeker convicted of sexual assault, was mistakenly released from HMP Chelmsford when he was supposed to be transferred to an immigration detention center for deportation. His release triggered a nationwide manhunt and public outrage, with Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood expressing regret over the blunder and confirming his eventual deportation back to Ethiopia. Kebatu's case had previously sparked violent anti-immigration protests in Epping and other parts of the UK, intensifying political debate over asylum seekers and immigration policies. Following his arrest in London, Justice Minister David Lammy announced an investigation into the release error and promised stricter controls to prevent future mistakes. Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the incident as totally unacceptable and indicated plans to move asylum seekers from hotels to former military sites to ease community tensions. The prison official responsible for the error was suspended, and the case has become a political flashpoint used by opposition parties and far-right groups to criticize the government.