Manhunt enters second day for Epping hotel migrant 'at large in London' who assaulted girl, 14, following mistaken release

Hadush Kebatu is "at large in London" after his mistaken release just one month after being found guilty of five charges, including sexually assaulting a woman and a teenage girl in Epping.

The 38-year-old committed the crimes whilst staying at the Bell Hotel, just days after arriving in the UK on a small boat.

Justice Secretary David Lammy confirmed on Friday evening that Kebatu is "at large in London" after boarding a train bound for the capital in Chelmsford at 12.41pm.

He told reporters that he was "appalled" and "livid" at the blunder - and that Essex Police, the Metropolitan Police, and the British Transport Police had "all hands on deck" to capture the Ethiopian sex offender.

Kebatu's crimes sparked nationwide anti-immigration protests this summer.

Read more: 'I will not be silenced': Woman who unfurled Union Flag during Epping migrant hotel protest speaks after charges dropped

Kebatu, who was being held at HMP Chelmsford, was meant to be sent to an immigration detention centre to be deported, but was mistakenly freed instead, the Department of Justice said on Friday.

Videos have emerged online showing a man, who appears to be the sex offender, wearing a grey prison tracksuit and asking people for directions.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the mistaken release of the convicted sex offender is “totally unacceptable”.

Justice Secretary David Lammy is reportedly "furious", The Sun, who originally broke the story, said.

A source told the outlet: “He has been released in error – this is the mother of all f**k ups.

“It is down to human error, with the wrong paperwork on it or something.

“David Lammy is aware – and is furious.”

A statement from Essex Police said that it had officers “working to urgently locate and detain him” after he was seen to catch a train at Chelmsford railway station.

It said: “We were informed by the prison service at 12.57pm today (Friday 24 October) of an error this morning surrounding the release of an individual.“As a result of that, we have launched a search operation to locate them and are working closely with partner agencies.

“These fast-paced enquiries have shown that the man boarded a London-bound train at Chelmsford Railway Station at 12.41pm.

“We understand the concern the public would have regarding this situation and can assure you we have officers working to urgently locate and detain him.”

Before his sentence was delivered, Kebatu's defence barrister, Molly Dyas, said the defendant’s “firm wish is to be deported as soon as possible", as he has been suffering with his mental health.

District Judge Christopher Williams called Kebatu "manipulative" as he delivered his sentence, saying he "knew full well" his younger victim was only 14 years of age.

His victim, aged just 14, said she is "always checking over her shoulder" after the attack.

He committed the sex attack just a week after arriving in the UK.

A Prison Service spokesperson told LBC: "We are urgently working with police to return an offender to custody following a release in error at HMP Chelmsford.

“Public protection is our top priority and we have launched an investigation into this incident.”

Before sentencing, Judge Williams said Kebatu had tried to take his own life "on at least one occasion" while on remand in prison.

Taking to X, Mr Lammy said he is "appalled" by Kebatu's accidental release.

"We are urgently working with the police to track him down and I’ve ordered an urgent investigation.

"Kebatu must be deported for his crimes, not on our streets."

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said: “The Epping hotel migrant sex attacker has been accidentally freed rather than deported.

"He is now walking the streets of Essex.

"Britain is broken.”

Local MP Marie Goldman said in a statement: "I am closely following developments and am in contact with the police and the prison.

"The police must do everything they can to ensure that this man is returned to custody immediately so that he is deported at once.

"Once the manhunt is over, there must be a full, rapid public inquiry into how this happened. This is utterly unacceptable and has potentially put my constituents in danger. I expect answers from the Prison Service."

She added: "I really want to understand what went wrong, and it’s not always the things that people think go wrong.

“So, it’s really tempting to call for the governor to resign, because that’s the quickest thing to call for, and I’m really struggling not to do that, I have to say.

“But I do really want to understand what went wrong.”She added that she had been “frustrated” that she had asked for a phone call with the governor, only to be told that the prison was “not updating individual stakeholders”.

She said: “I find that really frustrating, because I think, as the MP representing my constituents who want to know what’s happening, I think they would like to know that their MP is hearing first-hand from the prison service what happened.

“So, I’m frustrated I haven’t had that opportunity, or that’s been denied to me.”

Hitting out at the Labour government, Tory leader Kemi Badenoch declared the "entire system is broken."

A Prison Service officer has been removed from duties amid today's chaos, LBC understands.

Kebatu's attack sparked mass anti-immigration protests across the UK, many of which broke out into violence.

Dozens of anti-migrant protestors were arrested following attacks on police protecting the Bell Hotel.