The UK Tonight | Convicted sex offender claims police ignored him for hours after mistaken release

On The UK Tonight with Sarah-Jane Mee - migrant sex offender Hadush Kebatu, who was wrongly freed from prison, has claimed in an interview with Sky News that he tried to hand himself in to police a day before he was arrested, but was ignored by officers.

The Home Office said Kebatu, 38, was deported from the UK on Tuesday night.

Speaking to Sky News after he arrived back in Ethiopia on Wednesday morning, Kebatu shared details of his accidental release from HMP Chelmsford on 24 October and the two-day manhunt that followed.

The convicted sex offender was repeatedly questioned on his crimes, but Sky News has chosen not to broadcast this part of the interview.

Responding to Kebatu's claims, the Metropolitan Police told Sky News: "The Met is not aware of any evidence to support the claims that Kebatu approached officers on Saturday morning."

UK Tonight | https://trib.al/I0lsYCE

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Post from Sky News on October 29, 2025

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