When a convicted sex offender walks free due to an administrative “mistake,” the resulting manhunt reveals far more troubling truths about institutional failures than anyone wants to admit.
Story Snapshot
- Ethiopian national Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, convicted of sexually assaulting a teenage girl and woman, was mistakenly released from UK prison instead of being deported
- UK police conducted a two-day manhunt while publicly begging the sex offender to voluntarily surrender
- The “administrative error” exposed critical gaps between the criminal justice system and immigration enforcement
- Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Justice Secretary David Lammy promised investigations and accountability after public outrage
The Mistake That Sparked a Manhunt
Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu should have been transferred directly from prison to an immigration detention center for deportation back to Ethiopia. Instead, on Friday, October 24, 2025, the 38-year-old convicted sex offender walked out of custody as a free man. Prison officials had somehow mixed up paperwork that should have kept this dangerous criminal under lock and key until his removal from British soil.
UK Police ‘Mistakenly’ Released Sex Assaulter.
Police Beg Rapist to Turn Himself In Because He's Hiding In a Neighborhood That Is a No-Go Zone For Police/Non-Muslimshttps://t.co/ES0CWAJP4m
— Zayphar Is Colorblind (@Zayphar) October 25, 2025
The absurdity reached peak levels when Metropolitan Police found themselves in the unprecedented position of publicly pleading with a sex offender to turn himself in. For 48 hours, Kebatu roamed free in North London while authorities essentially asked nicely for his voluntary cooperation. This wasn’t a case of an escaped prisoner they were hunting down with full force—they were politely requesting his return.
Community Terror and Political Fallout
Kebatu’s original crimes had already triggered protests outside his Essex residence, with local communities expressing outrage over his presence in their neighborhood. His sexual assault convictions against a teenage girl and an adult woman had earned him a 12-month sentence, but more importantly, a deportation order that should have removed him from the UK entirely. The prospect of him wandering freely through their streets sent shockwaves through North London communities.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s response revealed the political damage control mode that kicked into high gear. His cautionary statements to authorities about preventing future mistakes rang hollow when the current mistake involved a predator potentially stalking new victims. Justice Secretary David Lammy’s promises of “transparency and accountability” sounded like standard political theater when public safety had already been compromised by bureaucratic incompetence.
System Failures Behind the Headlines
The arrest of Kebatu in Finsbury Park on Sunday morning ended the immediate crisis but highlighted systemic problems that run far deeper than one administrative error. The coordination breakdown between prison services and immigration enforcement represents a dangerous gap in protecting British citizens. When foreign nationals convicted of serious crimes can slip through these cracks, it exposes the fragmented nature of a system that should seamlessly transition from punishment to removal.
This incident illuminates the broader challenges facing the UK’s approach to criminal justice and immigration enforcement. The intersection of these two systems has long been problematic, with understaffing and underfunding creating opportunities for exactly this type of catastrophic mistake. The political pressure to deport foreign offenders sometimes creates rushed procedures that paradoxically make public safety worse, not better.
Questions That Demand Answers
The promised investigation must address fundamental questions about accountability and prevention. How does a convicted sex offender scheduled for deportation simply walk out of prison? Who signed the release papers, and what safeguards failed to catch this error before it endangered public safety? More importantly, how many other cases might involve similar administrative failures that haven’t yet resulted in public embarrassment for government officials?
The handling of foreign national offenders requires integrated systems that prioritize public safety over administrative convenience. This case demonstrates what happens when bureaucratic processes take precedence over common sense protections. While Kebatu is now back in custody and presumably heading for deportation, the underlying vulnerabilities that allowed his release remain unaddressed until the investigation produces concrete reforms rather than political promises.
