Police arrest wrongly-released migrant sex offender

A migrant who was mistakenly released from prison has been arrested following a police manhunt.

Hadush Kebatu was arrested by Metropolitan Police officers in the Finsbury Park area of London at around 8.30am on Sunday morning. Follow latest updates Commander James Conway said: "This has been a diligent and fast paced investigation.

"Information from the public led officers to Finsbury Park and following a search, they located Mr Kebatu. He was detained by police, but will be returned to the custody of the Prison Service.

"I am extremely grateful to the public for their support following our appeal, which assisted in locating Mr Kebatu." Kebatu was freed in error from HMP Chelmsford in Essex on Friday instead of being handed over to immigration officials for deportation - one month into a 12-month sentence. The Ethiopian national had been found guilty in September of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl and a woman in Epping.

His crimes while staying at The Bell Hotel in Epping sparked weeks of protests over the summer. The Met Police led the search for Kebatu, alongside Essex Police and the British Transport Police.

Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary David Lammy said Kebatu would be deported now he has been found. Mr Lammy said in a post on X: "Thanks to the Met, Essex and British Transport Police for their swift and thorough work.

"I have already ordered the immediate strengthening of release checks and a full investigation into what went wrong. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer added: "Hadush Kebatu has been arrested and will be deported.

"Officers have worked quickly and diligently to bring him back into custody. "We have ordered an investigation to establish what went wrong.

We must make sure this doesn't happen again." Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said Kebatu would be deported "as quickly as possible.