An Ethiopian asylum seeker who sexually assaulted a teenage girl and another woman in Britain, sparking summer-long angry protests outside the hotel where he was living, has been accidentally released from jail, the government said on Friday.
Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, 38, was sentenced to a 12-month term in September for sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl and a woman.
His arrest in July led to protests outside the Bell Hotel in Epping, 20 miles (32 km) north of London, which became a tinderbox for other demonstrations amid rising tensions over immigration.
The UK Prison Service described the incident as a “serious human error.” The officer who approved Kebeto’s release has been suspended, and an urgent investigation has been launched. Kebeto was incorrectly listed as a prisoner released on license and even received a £76 release payment, according to N12.
Witnesses described confusion during the release. A delivery driver said that Kebeto returned to the prison gate several times, asking where he should go, but staff directed him toward the nearby train station.
Police confirmed that Kebeto was seen at Chelmsford Train Station at 12:41 p.m. on Friday, wearing a grey tracksuit issued by the prison and carrying a plastic bag with his belongings. CCTV footage later showed him getting off a train at Stratford Station in East London, and later in Dalston, Hackney, where cameras at a local library recorded him carrying a white bag decorated with avocado prints, N12 reported.
'A safe and controlled manner'
Metropolitan Police Commander James Conway urged Kebeto to turn himself in, saying officers are seeking to locate him “in a safe and controlled manner.” Conway said Kebeto had told immigration authorities he wanted to return to Ethiopia and encouraged him to contact the police or go to a station.
Police said Kebeto has access to money and has approached people and railway staff for help since his release. The public has been asked to report any information or sightings.
The case has drawn attention from senior government officials. Justice Secretary and Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy said he was “shocked and angry” that a convicted offender had been released and ordered a full independent investigation.
"We are urgently working with the police to track him down, and I've ordered an urgent investigation," Lammy said on X.
"Kebatu must be deported for his crimes, not on our streets."
Liberal Democrat MP Marie Goldman called for a public inquiry, describing the case as a serious failure that could have endangered local residents.
According to N12, recently released figures show that between April 2024 and March 2025, 262 prisoners were mistakenly released in England and Wales, a rise of more than 100 percent compared to the previous year.
Kebeto arrived in the UK by small boat in July and was staying at The Bell Hotel in Epping, where the offenses took place. He attempted to kiss a 14-year-old girl, harassed her, and assaulted a woman who tried to help him write a résumé. Following his conviction, he was placed under a five-year restraining order prohibiting contact with women and added to the sex offenders’ register for ten years, N12 reported.
The search for Kebeto is continuing in London and the surrounding areas. Police said special units are reviewing CCTV footage from transport networks and public areas and are working “around the clock” to return him to custody.