Five More Prisoners Accidentally Released Following Sex Offender Escape from Essex Jail
Concerns have intensified within the UK prison system after an Ethiopian sex offender’s accidental release sparked further missteps. In the same week, five additional inmates were mistakenly freed from various prisons, raising alarms among prison officials.
Details of Accidental Releases
On Friday, Hadush Kebatu was wrongfully released from HMP Chelmsford, where he had been sentenced to 12 months in September for sexually assaulting a woman and a 14-year-old girl in Epping. After a manhunt lasting two days, he was eventually recaptured in North London. His release has revived public outrage, particularly as protests erupted last summer regarding asylum accommodations, which Kebatu’s case has further ignited.
Prison Officers’ Concerns
Mark Fairhurst, Chair of the Prison Officers’ Association (POA), revealed that five other releases occurred within the week from different facilities, including:
- HMP Pentonville
- HMP Durham
- HMP The Mount, Hertfordshire
- Reading Crown Court
One of the released prisoners remains at large, heightening concerns about public safety.
Government Response and Accountability
The Ministry of Justice acknowledged the mistakes but contested the number of incorrect releases reported. Fairhurst indicated that these errors had become increasingly common over the past year, attributing the issue to insufficient staff training and the implementation of early release schemes aimed at alleviating prison overcrowding.
Public Safety Measures
Fairhurst stated that an error with Kebatu’s paperwork led to his release, emphasizing that correct procedures were not followed. “We should have held this person in reception until the immigration service picked him up for deportation,” he noted.
Justice Secretary David Lammy told MPs that Kebatu’s release was the result of a “human error,” and announced immediate measures to strengthen checks within the prison system. A spokesperson from the Ministry of Justice highlighted that erroneous releases have been on the rise in recent years, indicating a systemic issue within the prison framework.
Statistics on Mistaken Releases
Recent government figures reveal a staggering increase in the number of prisoners released in error. In the year leading up to March 2025, 262 cases were recorded, reflecting a 128% rise from 115 in the previous year. This spike underscores the ongoing challenges facing prisons across the UK.
