Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary David Lammy has pledged that convicted sex offender Hadush Kebatu will be deported “this week” following his accidental release from prison and 45-hour manhunt across London.
Speaking outside a London police station on Sunday, Mr Lammy thanked officers for their “fantastic work” after Kebatu was rearrested following a major search operation.
“I wanted to come down here to thank the officers, they’ve done a brilliant job,” he said. “He’s now back in custody so he can be deported this week.”
Mr Lammy praised members of the public for responding to police appeals that led to the fugitive’s arrest, adding: “This was totally unacceptable. There will be a full investigation into how this happened.”
When pressed on whether Kebatu would be placed on an 8.15pm flight from Heathrow to his home country on Sunday evening, Mr Lammy said the offender must first be questioned about his movements across Essex and London during his time at large.
“It’s right that police get to the bottom of what happened during those 45 hours,” he said. “But I can assure you he will be deported this week.”
Sky News has reported that Kebatu will be deported on Tuesday, giving investigators time to establish his whereabouts and activities whilst evading capture.
‘Catastrophic Failure of the System’
The Justice Secretary described the mistaken release as a “catastrophic failure of the system” and vowed to implement safeguards to prevent similar incidents.
“We must ensure checks and balances are in place so the public can be reassured this doesn’t happen again,” Mr Lammy said.
He condemned the previous Conservative government for leaving behind what he characterised as a “collapsing system”, claiming staff shortages and inexperience amongst prison officers had made such errors more likely.
Mr Lammy said: “You will know that we inherited a system that was collapsing, in which the previous Government was releasing people early without any scrutiny at all. And there are a lot of junior officers now in the prison system. All of that needs a close look to ensure that the public are safe.”
The Deputy Prime Minister emphasised that public safety must remain the top priority, particularly regarding foreign national offenders who should be removed from the United Kingdom.
“The number one priority is that the public are safe, and certainly that foreign nationals that commit offences who should not be in the country are absolutely deported back to where they are from,” he stated.
“And that is what should have taken place in this regard. And that’s why it’s been important for me to suspend the particular officer involved, pending that full investigation, and to ensure that the checks are there in Chelmsford and in the system to reassure the public over the coming days.”
Prison Officer Suspended
Mr Lammy confirmed that the prison officer responsible for Kebatu’s erroneous release has been suspended pending a full investigation into the administrative failures.
The suspension suggests serious procedural breaches occurred at HMP Chelmsford, where Kebatu was being held before his mistaken release on Friday.
Questions remain about how multiple safeguards designed to prevent such releases apparently failed, particularly given Kebatu’s status as a convicted sex offender awaiting deportation.
Prison officers are required to follow strict protocols when releasing inmates, including verification checks against court orders and immigration holds that should have prevented Kebatu from walking free.
Victims’ Anxiety Acknowledged
Mr Lammy also addressed the victims of Kebatu’s crimes in Epping, Essex, acknowledging the distress caused by his temporary freedom.
“It was important for us to reach out to the victims of Kebatu’s crimes, and I’m grateful to police liaison for doing that over the last 48 hours,” he said.
This will have been an anxious time for the victims of his crime and their families, and I recognise that. And, of course, it will have been an anxious time for many women families worried about him roaming the streets of London.”
The Justice Secretary expressed relief that the manhunt had concluded successfully, adding: “I’m glad that we have brought that to an end. We must do all we can to continue to keep the public safe.”
45-Hour Manhunt
Kebatu spent 45 hours at large after his mistaken release on Friday, travelling from Chelmsford to east London where he was spotted in Dalston, Hackney.
Police tracked his movements using CCTV footage and public transport records, which showed him taking a train from Chelmsford to Stratford before moving through various areas of east London.
Members of the public were urged to look out for his distinctive bag decorated with avocados, which proved instrumental in identifying him during the search operation.
The Metropolitan Police mounted a significant operation involving officers from multiple boroughs and British Transport Police to locate and apprehend the convicted sex offender.
His rearrest on Sunday morning brought an end to widespread concern amongst London residents, particularly women and families in areas where he had been sighted.
The case has sparked fierce debate about prison administration, deportation procedures, and the adequacy of safeguards designed to protect the public from dangerous offenders.
Opposition MPs are expected to demand answers in Parliament about how such a serious error could occur and what steps will be taken to prevent recurrence.
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Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer hosts the Council of the Nations & Regions — photo by Simon Dawson / No 10 Downing Street, licensed under CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons. (commons.wikimedia.org)
