Ethiopian migrant Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, convicted of sexual assault, was accidentally released from an Essex prison, sparking a major London manhunt.
British police have launched a major search in London for an Ethiopian asylum-seeker who was mistakenly released from prison despite being sentenced for multiple offenses, including the sexual assault of a 14-year-old girl.
Authorities identified the fugitive as 38-year-old Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, who was last seen in the London area after being wrongfully freed from Chelmsford Prison in Essex on the afternoon of Friday October 24, 2025. Essex Police said officers from three different forces were now coordinating efforts to trace his whereabouts.
Investigators are reviewing hours of closed-circuit television footage in what they described as an “urgent, multi-agency effort” to locate the man. “It is not lost on us that this situation is concerning to people, and we are committed to locating and arresting him as quickly as possible,” police said in a statement.
Kebatu, who arrived in the United Kingdom by boat earlier this year, was sentenced in September to 12 months in prison for five offenses, including the July sexual assault in Epping, just outside London. His case had drawn national attention and ignited a wave of anti-migrant protests across the country.
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British media outlets reported that Kebatu was mistakenly categorized as a prisoner due for release rather than one who should have been transferred to an immigration detention center after serving his sentence. The Ministry of Justice confirmed that a Prison Officer has been removed from duty pending an internal investigation into the error.
The case has further intensified public debate over Britain’s handling of asylum seekers, particularly those who arrive via small boats across the English Channel. The Labor government has faced criticism from opposition parties and some local councils over its use of hotels to house migrants awaiting asylum decisions.
Earlier this year, protests erupted outside the Bell Hotel in Epping — where Kebatu had previously stayed — after a court overturned an injunction preventing asylum seekers from being accommodated there. Some of the demonstrations escalated into violent clashes involving far-right groups, while anti-racism activists under the “Stand Up to Racism” banner held counter protests.
The search for Kebatu continues across London and surrounding counties. Police have urged the public not to approach him if seen, but to immediately contact emergency services.
Officials say efforts are being made to ensure such administrative mistakes do not occur again as scrutiny mounts over the country’s migration and prison management systems.
