Picture courtesy of Essex Police

 

In a controversial move, migrant sex offender Hadush Kebatu received a £500 payment after threatening to disrupt his deportation from the UK. Kebatu was jailed for sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl and a woman while living in an asylum hotel in Essex. Mistakenly released, he was re-arrested and eventually deported to Ethiopia, but only after compensation was issued to facilitate his removal.

 

Kebatu's mistaken release from HMP Chelmsford led to his brief disappearance before police in North London apprehended him. The £500 payment was a strategic decision by the removal team to avoid higher costs and logistical issues, according to spokespersons, including Sir Keir Starmer’s office.

 

Normally, foreign nationals leaving under the Facilitated Returns Scheme receive £1,500, but Kebatu's application was denied in an attempt to expedite his removal.

 

The decision to make the payment has sparked political outrage. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch criticised the payout as a misuse of taxpayer money, while the Liberal Democrats and Reform UK also expressed strong disapproval. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood acknowledged the error leading to Kebatu's release and expressed satisfaction with his eventual deportation, emphasising public safety.

 

Looking ahead, the incident has prompted urgent reviews and reinforced prison control systems to prevent similar mistakes. An independent inquiry led by Dame Lynne Owens will explore the circumstances of Kebatu’s release and propose solutions.

 

Meanwhile, immediate procedural changes have been implemented to prevent future blunders, with an inquiry into prison staff's competence and oversight also underway.

 

 

Key Takeaways:

 

• Hadush Kebatu, a migrant sex offender, was mistakenly released, re-arrested, and ultimately deported.
• A £500 payment was made to avoid costly disruptions during his deportation process.
• The incident prompted strong political backlash and has led to an independent inquiry.

 

Related Stories:

Epping Sex Offender Urged to Surrender After Prison Error

Epping Hotel Outrage: Asylum Seeker Guilty of Assaulting Girl

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from BBC 2025-10-30

 

 

Labour embarrassing Britain once again. 

7 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

Labour embarrassing Britain once again. 

No, it's the British electorate embarrassing themselves for not getting rid of the knaves and fools who govern them.

Farage's first act as the next PM of Airstrip One should be to declare France a terrorist State. 

1 minute ago, AnnaBanana said:

No, it's the British electorate embarrassing themselves for not getting rid of the knaves and fools who govern them.

 

The electorate did indeed make a huge mistake electing Labour, although the number of seats they got was a freakish result considering such a low % voted for them.

 

It won't happen again. It's just a case of how much damage they do before 2029, assuming the country doesn't descend into chaos before then. 

Timeline:

sexual assaults on July 7 & 8

On September 24, he was convicted and sentenced to 12 months in jail

Kebatu, who was wrongly freed from Essex prison, was put on a flight to Ethiopia and arrived about one month later on Wednesday, October 29

 

Conclusion:

12 months jail time is in effect 1 month plus a £500 bonus for the inconvenience

 

The slap in the face for the British public is in this excerpt of his sentence:

The court must take into account the sentencing objectives determined by s.57
of the Sentencing Act 2020.Those objectives are:
a. To punish the offender       yes, totally, you showed him and he is crying now
b. To reduce crime       yes, crime has been reduced to a mere shadow of its former glory
c. To reform and rehabilitate offenders        yes, one month is all it takes for the British Rapid Reform and Rehab Program (BRRRP, sounds like a lipfart)
d. To protect the public        yes, the public is protected like never before, however, they are considering to protect themselves...
e. To make the offender give something back by way of reparation      yes, a wave of goodbye from his hand and a promise to be back

 

https://www.judiciary.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Hadush-Kebatu-Sentence-Remarks.pdf

 

Madness.

22 minutes ago, newnative said:

Madness.

 

Indeed. 

 

Sexually assault a 14 year old and you get 12 months jail (released after a few days), 500 quid and a free flight home.

 

Tweet about immigrants and you get 31 months jail (assuming you are the wife of a Tory councilor).

 

Failed state. 

1 hour ago, JonnyF said:

 

Indeed. 

 

Sexually assault a 14 year old and you get 12 months jail (released after a few days), 500 quid and a free flight home.

 

Tweet about immigrants and you get 31 months jail (assuming you are the wife of a Tory councilor).

 

Failed state. 

Once again misrepresenting why your Tory Marty was sentenced to prison.

 

Gosh, look at all the hand wringing taking place here. I think it would cost more to incarcerate him and then send him back anyway, than to just get rid of him ASAP.

But the girls want to make a noise anyway. Let them.

 

 

 

12 minutes ago, TopGun10 said:

I think it would cost more to incarcerate him and then send him back anyway, than to just get rid of him ASAP.

 

Yes that would set a wonderful precedent.

 

Perhaps they could advertise on Ethiopian TV? "Come to England illegally, sexually assault a child and we'll give you 500 quid and pay for your return flight". 

 

Limited to 250,000 applicants. Offer expires 2029.

3 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

 

Yes that would set a wonderful precedent.

 

Perhaps they could advertise on Ethiopian TV? "Come to England illegally, sexually assault a child and we'll give you 500 quid and pay for your return flight". 

 

Limited to 250,000 applicants. Offer expires 2029.

The product of an unwell mind.

21 minutes ago, TopGun10 said:

Gosh, look at all the hand wringing taking place here. I think it would cost more to incarcerate him and then send him back anyway, than to just get rid of him ASAP.

But the girls want to make a noise anyway. Let them.

 

 

 

A lot cheaper than the Rwanda plan, which cost £700,000,000 to deport 4 individuals, each of whom were paid £3,000 to volunteer to leave.

 

1 minute ago, Chomper Higgot said:

The product of an unwell mind.

 

So you consider protecting young girls from illegal immigrant Pedophiles to be insane?

 

Well noted. 

I think that this was a practical decision made on the spot just to get him on the plane.

 

Apparently, he threatened to kick off at the airport which would have led to the Captain refusing to board him. Another flight would have cost thousands.

 

Also, he could have appealed his deportation which would have meant he wasn't deported and the legal costs would have been tens of thousands.

 

Sticks in the throat a bit but I think it was the right decision. Now he is gone and never coming back.

2 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

A lot cheaper than the Rwanda plan, which cost £700,000,000 to deport 4 individuals, each of whom were paid £3,000 to volunteer to leave.

 

 

Because the leftist hand wringers wrapped it up in legal objections. 

2 minutes ago, GanDoonToonPet said:

Sticks in the throat a bit but I think it was the right decision. Now he is gone and never coming back.

 

What's to stop him coming back?

Hmmm, to think they won't pay me my pension that I paid into, but hand out cash to crooks to take home abroad...🥴

3 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

 

So you consider protecting young girls from illegal immigrant Pedophiles to be insane?

 

Well noted. 

No I do not.

 

But your dreamed up nonsense was nothing whatsoever to do with protecting anyone:

13 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

 

Yes that would set a wonderful precedent.

 

Perhaps they could advertise on Ethiopian TV? "Come to England illegally, sexually assault a child and we'll give you 500 quid and pay for your return flight". 

 

Limited to 250,000 applicants. Offer expires 2029.

Utter off the wall nonsense.

2 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

 

Because the leftist hand wringers wrapped it up in legal objections. 

No, because it was an ill conceived performative policy that broke existing UK laws.

Worse still, the Government who came up with that utter waste of money were told it was in breach of UK law before they even started.

The guy was robbed....he'll be furious when he finds out......

 

 

Run by the Home Office via the Voluntary Returns Service (VRS).....failed asylum seekers

 

  ⁠◦  Up to £3,000 in reintegration assistance (cash or in-kind support).

  ⁠◦  Paid flights to the country of origin.

  ⁠◦  Help with housing, job training, or small business setup abroad.

 

1 minute ago, Chomper Higgot said:

No I do not.

 

That's what you posted.

 

1 minute ago, Chomper Higgot said:

 

But your dreamed up nonsense was nothing whatsoever to do with protecting anyone:

Utter off the wall nonsense.

 

Perhaps you could google "Satire".

 

While you're at it, google the long term effects of sexual abuse on teenage girls. 

500 quid , he will be putting that towards a trip straight back to UK

on a rubber dingy ,welcome back.

 

regards worgeordie

1 minute ago, Will B Good said:

The guy was robbed....he'll be furious when he finds out......

 

 

Run by the Home Office via the Voluntary Returns Service (VRS).....failed asylum seekers

 

  ⁠◦  Up to £3,000 in reintegration assistance (cash or in-kind support).

  ⁠◦  Paid flights to the country of origin.

  ⁠◦  Help with housing, job training, or small business setup abroad.

 

 

If he comes back over on the next dinghy he'll probably qualify for a free lawyer to sue us for the remaining 2500.

3 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

That's what you posted.

Google “Psychosis” Jonny, nothing I have posted remotely justifies your bizarre and completely fabricated claim:

 

13 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

 

So you consider protecting young girls from illegal immigrant Pedophiles to be insane?

 

3 hours ago, klauskunkel said:

Kebatu, who was wrongly freed from Essex prison, was put on a flight to Ethiopia and arrived about one month later on Wednesday, October 29

Sounds like it was the slow Tiger Moth to Dis Ababa

7 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Google “Psychosis” Jonny, nothing I have posted remotely justifies your bizarre and completely fabricated claim:

 

So you consider the wish to protect young girls from illegal immigrant Pedophiles to be a form of psychosis?

 

Well noted. 

24 minutes ago, GanDoonToonPet said:

Now he is gone and never coming back.

 

Wanna bet?

 

I don't follow UK immigration closely, but we've got illegals who have been deported over half a dozen times walking around the USA.  Many with rapsheets as long as my arm.

 

30 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

The product of an unwell mind.

 

Well in fairness I did actually fail to mention the free stay at the Epping hotel in the offer, perhaps marketing is not my strong point...  😄

The UK, as we all knew it to be for hundreds of years, is NO MORE, with the influx of millions of Muslims, Africans and Arabs

that are getting better treatment han the brits themselves, the UK will NEVER be the same again, Never.