Asylum seeker in UK, mistakenly released from prison. He was serving a sentence for sexual assault
British police announced Saturday that they are analyzing hours of surveillance footage to find an asylum seeker convicted of sexual assault who was mistakenly released from prison, AP reports.
Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu PHOTO: X
Ethiopian citizen Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, 38, was “last seen in the London area“, Essex Police said on Saturday, adding that officers from three separate forces are collaborating in the investigation, the News writes.
Kebatu gained national attention after his case sparked a series of anti-immigrant protests in London and other cities in recent months.
He was sentenced in September to 12 months in prison for five offences, including sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl in July in Epping, on the outskirts of London, just over a week after arriving in England by boat.
Authorities said they were alerted on Friday afternoon that Kebatu had been mistakenly released from a prison in Chelmsford, Essex, and was seen boarding a train there. British media reported that he was wrongly classified as a detainee due for release, instead of being sent to an immigration detention centre.
“Officers worked through the night to track his movements, including watching hours of CCTV footage, and this work continues today.”it is stated in a police statement.
“We are aware that this situation is worrying people and we are committed to locating and arresting him as quickly as possible.”he added.
The prison service launched an investigation, and a prison officer was suspended during the investigation.
Kebatu's arrest and prosecution prompted thousands of people to protest outside the Bell Hotel in Epping, north-east London, where he was staying with other newly arrived migrants.
Multiple protests followed that targeted other hotels hosting migrants in other British cities, some of the demonstrations being attended by far-right activists and degenerating into incidents. The Stand Up to Racism group also organized counter-protests.
Tensions have long been high over unauthorized migration – particularly the tens of thousands of migrants crossing the English Channel in overloaded boats to reach Britain – as well as the Labor government's policy of using hotels to house migrants awaiting a decision on their asylum status.
