Met urges Epping migrant sex offender to hand himself in

The Metropolitan Police has issued a direct appeal to a migrant sex offender to hand himself in, after he was mistakenly released from a prison in Essex on Friday and travelled to east London.

Hadush Kebatu was set free weeks after being jailed for sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl and a woman in Epping, Essex, while staying in a hotel.

Cmd James Conway said on Saturday the force was "pursuing all lines of enquiry" into his disappearance, adding that Kebatu had access to funds and had sought assistance from members of the public.

He has made a number of train journeys across London since he boarded a train at 12:41 on Friday afternoon, before getting off at Stratford, Conway added.

In a direct appeal to Kebatu, Conway said: "We want to locate you in a safe and controlled way. You had already indicated a desire to return to Ethiopia when speaking to immigration staff.

"The best outcome for you is to make contact directly with us by either calling 999 or reporting yourself to a police station."

On Saturday evening, police released CCTV footage that showed Kebatu in a library in the Dalston area of Hackney, north London, at around 18:00 on Friday, still wearing his prison-issue grey tracksuit.

He was seen carrying his belongings in a distinctive white bag decorated with pictures of avocados.

Officers said Kebatu was sighted again shortly before 20:00 on Friday in the Dalston area.

Additional officers had been deployed to the area, the Met said.

Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary David Lammy has ordered candidates to be chosen to lead an independent investigation into the error.

In addition, new procedures for prisons will come into effect on Monday, mandating additional checks the evening before a release is due to take place.

Duty governors - responsible for the daily secure operation of the prison - will have to confirm the procedure is in place on Monday.

Kebatu left prison wearing a prison-issued grey tracksuit, holding a clear plastic bag containing his possessions, the Met said.

A Sexual Harm Prevention Order was made against him, when he was sentenced in September, on the grounds the judge agreed he posed a risk of sexual harm to female adults and children.

Earlier, Essex Police - who handed the lead of investigation to the Met at 11:30 on Saturday - said: "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."

It is not clear exactly what led to his release, but prison sources have told the BBC prison staff from HMP Chelmsford lead Kebatu away from the prison and towards the train station.

A prison officer from HMP Chelmsford has been suspended, but a senior prison staffer said the error was "down to a series of mistakes, probably because staff are overworked and in short supply".

"It's not just one prison officer who's to blame. That would be unfair," they added.

IMAGE SOURCE, MET POLICE

Hadush Kebatu was sighted in Chelmsford on Friday.

The search for Kebatu began at 12:57 on Friday after Essex Police were informed by the Prison Service that there had been "an error".

The train Kebatu boarded at Chelmsford station stopped at Stratford at 13:10, where the Met Police say he then disembarked.

Stratford is the UK's fifth busiest train station, external, with interchanges to the London Underground, London Overground and Dockland's Light Railway (DLR).

Sir Keir Starmer previously described the release as "totally unacceptable" and said Kebatu "must be caught and deported for his crimes".

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Major mistake, Hope the guy is caught, He should be deported but he won't.