A union leader has criticized the suspension of a prison staff member following the accidental release of a migrant sex offender from HMP Chelmsford. Hadush Kebatu, an Ethiopian national, was mistakenly set free and later re-arrested after being allowed to travel to London instead of being transferred to an immigration detention center. Kebatu, who had served time for sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl, is now facing deportation back to Ethiopia.
The Justice Secretary, David Lammy, has ordered an independent investigation into the incident. Mark Fairhurst, the national chairman of the prison officers’ union, expressed deep regret over the error and defended the suspended staff member, emphasizing the need for accountability in the release process.
Lammy assured that Kebatu would be deported promptly but acknowledged the distress of the victims and the public regarding the mistake. He stressed the importance of preventing similar errors in the future to uphold public safety.
To address the issue, Dame Lynn Owens, a former deputy commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, has been tasked with investigating the erroneous release. Enhanced measures, including stricter oversight and detailed checklists, will be implemented to avoid future mistaken releases. Additionally, foreign nationals facing deportation will now only be released in the presence of a duty governor, with deportations from HMP Chelmsford temporarily halted.
Lammy informed MPs about the escalating trend of mistaken releases, indicating a need for immediate action to safeguard against such errors. The heightened scrutiny and revised protocols aim to prevent similar incidents and ensure the proper handling of prisoner releases.
