UK Prisons Implement Enhanced Release Checks After Asylum Seeker Wrongful Release

Justice Secretary David Lammy has ordered enhanced checks at prisons across England and Wales following the mistaken release of Hadush Kebatu, a migrant jailed for sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl, who was supposed to be sent to an immigration detention center but was wrongly freed from HMP Chelmsford. Kebatu was later re-arrested in London after a two-day manhunt, and Lammy has assured that Kebatu will be deported after police questioning. The incident has sparked outrage and calls for accountability, with an independent inquiry announced and a prison officer suspended pending investigation. Government figures reveal wrongful prisoner releases have more than doubled in the past year, with 262 errors reported in the latest period compared to 115 previously, attributed in part to staff shortages and systemic issues inherited from the prior Conservative administration. Communities Secretary Steve Reed acknowledged the justice system is "broken" and emphasized the need for reforms to prevent such errors from recurring. The new mandatory procedures require prison governors to provide assurance that enhanced release checks have been completed, despite concerns from prison staff about increased workload pressures.