Independent review begins after Epping migrant sex offender mistakenly released from HMP Chelmsford
Hadush Kebatu, an Ethiopian national, was wrongfully released on 24th October 2025 instead of being transferred to an immigration detention centre
An independent investigation into the mistaken release of Epping migrant sex offender Hadush Kebatu from HMP Chelmsford has officially begun.
It's under the leadership of Dame Lynne Owens, a former Deputy Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police and ex-Director General of the National Crime Agency.
Mr Kebatu, an Ethiopian national, was wrongfully released on 24th October 2025 instead of being transferred to an immigration detention centre as part of the early removals scheme for foreign national offenders.
He had been convicted of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl and a woman shortly after arriving in the UK on 29th June by crossing the Channel in a small boat.
Following his early release, Mr Kebatu travelled to London and was apprehended on 26th October in Finsbury Park after a two-day manhunt.
The Justice Secretary, David Lammy, announced the review, stating: “We will get to the bottom of what happened in this case, and we will take whatever steps necessary to tackle the spike in releases in error, so that we can uphold the first duty of every government, which is to keep the public safe from harm.”
Focus of the independent review
The comprehensive review, expected to conclude within eight weeks, will examine both the specific circumstances of Mr Kebatu’s release and broader systemic issues in the prison estate.
The review's key aims include:
Establishing a clear timeline of events in Mr Kebatu’s release from HMP Chelmsford
Assessing the sufficiency of staff training, experience, and tools in relation to prisoner discharge protocols
Identifying any systemic issues resulting in releases in error
Evaluating the current protocols and their robustness
Recommending measures to prevent similar mistakes across the prison network
Dame Lynne Owens has been granted full access to the necessary information to carry out her independent review and will consult with Mr Kebatu’s victims or their representatives as part of her investigation.
Broader concerns over releases in error
This review follows a sharp rise in errors across the UK prison estate. Official figures reveal that 262 prisoners were released in error between April 2024 and March 2025, a 128% increase from the previous year. Speaking in Parliament, Mr Lammy stated: "I've been clear from the outset that a mistake of this nature is unacceptable. We must get to the bottom of what happened and take immediate action to try and prevent similar releases in error to protect the public from harm."
Emergency measures were put in place immediately after the incident, including enhanced release checks and a requirement for duty governors to be physically present during certain prisoner discharges. Mr Lammy described these as "the strongest release checks that have ever been in place."
Reaction and criticism
The incident has sparked criticism from politicians and prison staff alike. Chelmsford MP Marie Goldman argued that scapegoating a single prison officer for what she called “systemic failure” was "unacceptable," urging senior prison governors to take responsibility.
The Prison Governors’ Association welcomed the additional checks but stressed that long-term solutions are needed to address the underlying issues, noting that "a checklist won’t cut it."
Mark Fairhurst, chairman of the prison officers' union, blamed the failure on a persistent lack of staff training and “intolerable” pressure on employees, claiming these concerns had been raised for at least a decade without meaningful action being taken.
The Government say they are taking decisive action to address this crisis, building 14,000 additional prison places and reforming sentencing to make sure there are enough prison places.
Dame Lynne’s findings will be reported to the Deputy Prime Minister and the Ministry of Justice’s Permanent Secretary.