Manhunt as migrant who sexually assaulted girl boarded train after accidental jail release

An asylum seeker who sexually assaulted a woman and a 14-year-old girl boarded a train to London after being mistakenly released from prison. Hadush Kebatu's attacks sparked nationwide protests this summer but now finds himself free due to what has been desribed as an administrative error.

The sex offender set for deportation from the UK was filmed speaking to men on Chelmsford high street in Essex before getting on a train from the city to London, according to Essex Police. It said: "We were informed by the prison service at 12.57pm today (Friday 24 October) of an error this morning surrounding the release of an individual.

"As a result of that, we have launched a search operation to locate them and are working closely with partner agencies.

"These fast-paced enquiries have shown that the man boarded a London-bound train at Chelmsford Railway Station at 12.41pm.

"We understand the concern the public would have regarding this situation and can assure you we have officers working to urgently locate and detain him."

Essex Police appealed to anyone who has seen him or with any information about where he might be to call 999 immediately and quote 0474 of 24 October.

Chelmsford MP, Marie Goldman, said she was "struggling" not to call for HMP Chelmsford's governor to resign after the accidental release.

She told the PA news agency: "I really want to understand what went wrong, and it's not always the things that people think go wrong.

"So, it's really tempting to call for the governor to resign, because that's the quickest thing to call for, and I'm really struggling not to do that, I have to say. But I do really want to understand what went wrong."

Ms Goldman described the accidental release as a "cock up" which left "huge questions" to be answered.

Government figures show the number of prisoners released in error more than doubled in the year to March 2025.

A report by His Majesty's Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) said 262 prisoners were released in error from April 2024 to March 2025, up from 115 in the year to March 2024.

The Sun first reported that Kebatu was meant to be sent to an immigration detention centre to be deported, but was freed by mistake from HMP Chelmsford.

Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy said he was "appalled" by the error. He said: "We are urgently working with the police to track him down and I've ordered an urgent investigation. Kebatu must be deported for his crimes, not on our streets."

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage tweeted: "The Epping hotel migrant sex attacker has been accidentally freed rather than deported. He is now walking the streets of Essex. Britain is broken."

A prison officer has been taken off duties to discharge prisoners while an investigation is under way. A Prison Service spokesman said: "We are urgently working with police to return an offender to custody following a release in error at HMP Chelmsford.

"Public protection is our top priority and we have launched an investigation into this incident."

Kebatu, 38, arrived in the UK on a small boat days before telling two teenagers in July he wanted to "have a baby with each of them". He tried to kiss them, before going on to put his hand on one of the girls' thighs and stroke her hair, his trial was told.

He was also found to have sexually assaulted a woman by trying to kiss her, putting his hand on her leg and telling her she was pretty.

The migrant was found guilty of five offences following a three-day trial at Chelmsford and Colchester magistrates' courts in September.

He was jailed for 12 months in September. The court heard at his sentencing that it was his "firm wish" to be deported.