UK (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Justice Secretary David Lammy orders tougher prison checks after a convicted sex offender was wrongly released, sparking a national inquiry.
As reported by The Independent, prisons are set to implement stricter release checks after a sex offender, who is a failed asylum seeker, was mistakenly freed.
David Lammy will announce measures to strengthen prison procedures as MPs question the recent release error.
The move comes after Ethiopian national Hadush Kebatu was released from HMP Chelmsford last week instead of being taken to an immigration detention facility.
What did David Lammy say about Kebatu’s release and deportation?
David Lammy said Kebatu must face police questioning before deportation.
He said,
“I can assure you that he will be deported as he was expected to be deported. I expect that to happen this week.”
The Justice Secretary confirmed an independent inquiry into the release incident will be announced in Parliament on Monday, following criticism from the opposition.
What did Steve Reed say about the justice system and new prison checks?
Housing and Communities Secretary Steve Reed acknowledged the justice system is “broken,” expressing shared “frustration and fury” with the public.
He confirmed that Mr Lammy will reveal enhanced measures on Monday
“to make sure this kind of thing doesn’t happen again.”
Referring to Ketabu’s release, Mr Reed said,
“My jaw was on the floor like everyone else’s when I heard that he had been released in the way that he had been. He shouldn’t even be our country, let alone committing the kind of acts that he carried out.”
He stated,
“Now I want to pay tribute to the police who have apprehended him, thank goodness, very, very quickly, and the public whose vigilance helped to tip off the police where to identify him.”
The communities secretary said,
“And people should be reassured that he will now be deported this week, but it’s very worrying that this individual was released, apparently by accident, and he’s not the only one, so the Ministry of Justice has ordered the full investigation there.”
He stated,
“(An) officer has been suspended, and David Lammy, who’s the Justice Secretary, will be announcing a strengthened series of checks in Parliament later today to make sure this kind of thing doesn’t happen again.”
Mr Reed insisted Labour policy had not caused the increase, blaming the previous Conservative administration.
He stated,
“If the previous government cut the number of staff by a third, if they fail to build prison places, I’m afraid then disasters will happen.”
The housing secretary said the government has deported 39,000 people with no legal right to remain in the UK, adding, “There is change going on.”
What did Marie Goldman say about Kebatu’s arrest and prison failings?
Chelmsford’s Liberal Democrat MP Marie Goldman urged a “rapid” national inquiry, adding,
“It’s unacceptable that the safety of my constituents, and the people of London, was ever put at risk.”
She added,
“The prison service had several chances to fix it and failed. The Government has serious questions to answer and major work to do to make the system fit for purpose. It certainly isn’t at the moment.”
How did politicians react to the prison release blunder?
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said David Lammy and Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood must answer questions and apologise for their failures over the case.
He said,
“They should never have allowed his release and I think David Lammy and Shabana Mahmood have questions to answer because they have presided over this system.”
Tory leader Kemi Badeonch stated that
“under Labour, victims are failed, criminals walk free and trust in policing has collapsed.”
Reform UK policy head Zia Yusuf raised concerns over public trust in the system following recent failures.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer confirmed a probe has been launched to investigate the incident, adding, “We must make sure this doesn’t happen again.”
What offences did Hadush Kebatu commit before his trial?
Hadush Kebatu crossed the Channel on June 29 and was released from prison with personal money but no discharge grant.
Just eight days after arriving, he was convicted of making inappropriate comments and attempting to kiss a 14-year-old girl.
The court heard that the next day, he tried to kiss a woman, touch her leg, and make inappropriate comments.
At Chelmsford and Colchester Magistrates’ Courts, he was found guilty of five offences, with his sentencing hearing noting his “firm wish” to be deported.
He told the court, via a translator, that he was born in December 1986, though police records show December 1983, making him 41.
How many people applied for asylum in the UK by June 2025?
Britain received a record 111,084 asylum applicants across 88,700 cases. Small boat arrivals accounted for 43,600 of these applicants.
Among them, 62% were adult men, 21% adult women, and 18% children under 18. The most common nationalities were Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Eritrea, and Bangladesh.
