THE DAD of a girl sexually assaulted by a migrant accidentally released from jail feared he would target more kids while free.
The mistaken release of Hadush Kebatu from prison caused his 14-year-old victim “so much stress and anxiety”, her father has said as he condemned the error as “unbelievably irresponsible”.
Epping Forest councillor, Shane Yerrell, read out a statement on behalf of 14-year-old victim’s father this evening
Kebatu was supposed to be sent to an immigration detention centre to be deported ‘within days’ when he was accidentally freed on FridayCredit: Essex Police
Images released by the Met last night showed Kebatu in an East London libraryCredit: PA
Kebatu, was jailed for 12 months for sexually assaulting a woman and a 14-year-old girl near The Bell Hotel in Epping, Essex, in July.
Following Kebatu’s dramatic capture today, Epping Forest district councillor, Shane Yerrell, released a statement on behalf of the victim’s dad on Saturday evening.
“As a father, I am completely broken that the man who has sexually assaulted my 14 year old daughter just 4 months ago was accidentally released from prison onto the streets again,” it read.
“The trauma and torment my daughter has suffered since this assault has really hurt myself and my family.
“She was slowly starting to get some of her confidence back and recently started to see some of her closest friends and been back in school.
“Friday’s news has caused her so much stress and anxiety, she feared seeing him again and him recognising her.
“This man is a real danger to young women and children and for him to be wrongly released and walking the streets freely just four months after carrying out two sexual assaults, just five weeks after being sentenced, all because of a system failure, is unbelievably irresponsible.”
The dad slammed the prison for Kebatu’s release and said when he sought answers, he was met with “hostility” and “complete disregard”.
“Myself and my family feel massively let down and infuriated by HMP Chelmsford, the police, the justice system and our Labour government. they have all failed. Not just our family but everyone in our country.
“I had to find out from a reporter that my daughter’s attacker was accidentally released in the day. then be sent images and videos of him walking about before the police even alerted her mother.
“Later that day, when I went to HMP Chelmsford to seek some answers, I was greeted with hostility, and complete disregard, completely disrespecting me and my family.”
“I really hope that no one else’s child has to experience what my daughter has. I really feared that this could happen again when he was walking around the streets of Chelsmford and London over the weekend.
He added that he hoped Kebatu will be “deported immediately” because of the threat he posed to “women and children of this country”.
“If anything had happened to another child or female, then that would have been on the heads of HMP Chelmsford, as well as the police and the justice system and our Labour government, for allowing this sexual predator and illegal immigrant back onto the streets from no one else’s mistake but their own.
“This is the only statement that I will give on this matter and I would like to ask that every single news reporter across the country respects our privacy and leaves us in peace while we demand answers, the truth and seek legal advice and action in this matter.”
The government plans to deport Hadush Kebatu on Tuesday.
David Lammy, the deputy PM, said Kebatu needs to be questioned by police before he is deported “to get to the bottom of what’s happened”.
“It’s right that he’s questioned by the police following his route from Essex into London,” Lammy said.
show the exact moment Kebatu was arrested by three plain-clothed officers and led to a van on Saturday morning.
The 41-year-old Ethiopian was held near a bus stop in Finsbury park, North , at 8,35am.
was a dark-coloured puffa jacket with a checkered black and grey hoodie up, jeans and grey trainers.
He had acquired the clothing after being initially on Friday while wearing a prison-issue grey tracksuit.
It is understood he was recognised by someone on a bus who then alerted police carrying a major manhunt for Kebatu.
Met Police officers were called to the scene at 8.03am and spotted Kebatu at 8.19am inside the park.
Once Kebatu’s identity was confirmed, he was arrested for being unlawfully at large.
One witness said: “He was arrested near the bus stop. There was one plain-clothes female officer and another woman officer in uniform.
“Two uniformed male officers wearing blue forensics gloves joined them and put him in the back of a van.
“He was handcuffed behind his back and looked pretty glum. There was no struggle.
“People around recognised him immediately but let the police get on with their job.”
It came just hours after shocking CCTV footage emerged of Kebatu on Saturday strolling around East London as the manhunt became increasingly desperate.
Kebatu was meant to be sent to an detention centre to be deported but instead was accidentally freed from prison on Friday.
Footage later showed him on Saturday in Dalston, East London, at around 6pm the day of his release.
He was later seen at the nearby Premier Inn, we revealed today.
The wrongly-freed inmate was wearing his prison-issue grey tracksuit top and bottoms in the most recent images of him.
A prison officer was suspended when it was discovered Kebatu had been mistakenly let out of the prison where he was supposed to be serving a 12-month sentence.
It was also revealed prison staff directed the migrant sex offender towards the station after being freed, according to a witness.
