Epping sex offender back in custody

A former asylum seeker and convicted sex offender who was released from prison in error is back in custody and faces deportation.

- Matthew Weaver

Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, an Ethiopian, was jailed for 12 months in September for sexually assaulting a woman and a 14-year-old girl and was made the subject of a five-year sexual harm prevention order.

Kebatu, 41, who was released wearing a prison-issue grey tracksuit and holding a plastic bag containing his possessions, made several train journeys across London after being freed on Friday, according to the Metropolitan police.

He took a train from Chelmsford to Stratford in east London on the day he was freed and was later spotted in Dalston carrying a white bag with pictures of avocados on it. He was arrested in the Finsbury Park area of north London at around 8.30am yesterday, the Met said.

Keir Starmer and the justice secretary, David Lammy, said Kebatu would now be deported. The home secretary, Shabana Mahmood, said he would be removed as quickly as possible. Starmer said: "We must make sure this doesn't happen again.

We have ordered an investigation to establish what went wrong." Lammy told broadcasters Kebatu needed to be questioned by police before being deported, adding: "I can assure you that he will be deported as he was expected to be deported.

I expect that to happen this week." The Metropolitan police commander James Conway, who oversaw the operation to find Kebatu, said: "This has been a diligent and fastpaced investigation led by specialist officers from the Metropolitan police, supported by Essex police and the British Transport Police. Information from the public led officers to Finsbury Park and, following a search, they located Mr Kebatu.

"He was detained by police but will be returned to the custody of the prison service. I am extremely grateful to the public for their support following our appeal, which assisted in locating Mr Kebatu." Kebatu's arrest in July on sexual assault charges led to a series of violent protests outside the Bell hotel in Epping, where he was being housed.