The police in London have declared a manhunt for an Ethiopian sex offender, Hadush Kebatu, who was released from prison by a blundering prison officer.
Kebatu, who was serving 12 months in HMP Chelmsford prison for sexually molesting a schoolgirl, had barely served a month of his term when an officer released him and even gave him directions to a train station on Friday.
He was ordered to be deported after his jail term and should have been transferred to a deportation centre if released at all.
However, a clueless prison staff member repeatedly told him to leave and get on a train to London.
Commander James Conway of the Met Police announced this afternoon that the prisoner had ‘made a number of train journeys’ across London since his release.
He also said they believed the prisoner had access to funds, having solicited assistance from members of the public.
The police chief called on Kebatu to hand himself over to the police in his own interest.
‘The best outcome for you is to make contact directly with us by either calling 999 or reporting yourself to a police station,’ Conway said.
A delivery driver reported seeing Kebatu being released from prison and told to go to the train station.
The prisoner was later seen in his prison-issued tracksuit on CCTV footage in Chelmsford town centre, asking for directions from locals while clutching a plastic bag containing his possessions.
Kebatu then got on a train at Chelmsford station bound for London.
By 13.12 pm, the prisoner disembarked from the train at Stratford.
Kebatu was reportedly confused after his release and stood in front of the prison for 90 minutes before finally moving.
