Manhunt for asylum seeker freed from HMP Chelmsford

British police launched a manhunt after Ethiopian national Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, jailed in September for sexually assaulting a 14‑year‑old girl and a woman in Epping, was mistakenly released from HMP Chelmsford instead of being transferred to an immigration removal centre for deportation. Kebatu, who arrived in the UK on a small boat and had been living at the Bell Hotel, was sentenced to 12 months and was subject to a deportation order under the UK Borders Act; officials say he should have been handed to immigration enforcement but was freed in error. The error has prompted urgent investigations by the Prison Service and Justice Secretary David Lammy, who has said he is appalled and furious. His arrest in July already sparked nationwide protests over the use of hotels to house asylum seekers, reviving debates about migration policy and deportations. Authorities say they are working with police to locate Kebatu, return him to custody and determine how the release occurred.