An asylum seeker who had served jail time for sexual assaults was recently spotted on a train heading towards London following an accidental release. Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, a 38-year-old Ethiopian national residing at the Bell Hotel in Epping, received a 12-month sentence in September for his crimes. Despite being meant for transfer to an immigration detention center for deportation, he was mistakenly set free, prompting a manhunt by Essex Police to locate the fugitive.

Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy expressed dismay over the blunder, emphasizing the need for Kebatu’s deportation and asserting the urgency of tracking him down. The incident occurred when Kebatu was erroneously released from HMP Chelmsford on Friday morning. In response, a prison officer has been relieved of duty pending investigations into the circumstances surrounding the release.

During his trial, the asylum seeker, who had recently arrived in the UK by boat, was accused of inappropriate advances towards two teenage girls, including expressing a desire to have children with them and making physical contact. The case has sparked public outcry, leading to demonstrations both in support and against asylum seekers in Epping and at various accommodations housing asylum seekers nationwide.