David Lammy has confirmed there will probably be an impartial investigation into the unintentional launch of a migrant jailed for intercourse offences, as he blamed “human error” for the incident.
The deputy prime minister and justice secretary instructed MPs he was “livid” on behalf of Hadush Kebatu’s victims and he could be deported again to Ethiopia “as quickly as possible”.
Kebatu, who was discovered responsible in September of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old woman and a lady in Epping, was freed in error from HMP Chelmsford in Essex on Friday as an alternative of being handed over to immigration officers for deportation.
His unintentional launch sparked widespread alarm and a manhunt that resulted in him being discovered and arrested by the Metropolitan Police within the Finsbury Park space of London at round 8.30am on Sunday.
The incident has sparked questions over how the person, whose crimes sparked protests in Epping over the usage of asylum inns, was in a position to be freed.
Addressing MPS within the Home of Commons, Mr Lammy stated the error mustn’t have occurred as he sought to put a part of the blame on to the Conservatives over the state of the jail system over the previous 14 years.
He stated “there must and there will be accountability” for the mistaken launch of Kebatu from jail.
“I’ve been clear from the outset that a mistake of this nature is unacceptable,” he stated.
“We must get to the bottom of what happened and take immediate action to try and prevent similar releases in error to protect the public from harm.”
Mr Lammy stated that he ordered an “urgent review” into the checks that happen when an offender is launched from jail, and that new safeguards have been added that quantity to the “strongest release checks that have ever been in place”.
The justice secretary stated the investigation could be led by former Metropolitan Police deputy commissioner Dame Lynne Owens, who additionally used to steer the Nationwide Crime Company.
He additionally stated the investigation would have the identical standing as high-profile probes into different jail incidents, together with the the assault on three jail officers at HMP Franklin in April of this 12 months and the escape of Daniel Khalife from HMP Wandsworth in 2023.
Please refresh the web page for the newest model.
