"The Ministry of Justice reported that 179 prisoners were mistakenly released in England and Wales between April 2025 and March 2026, averaging three each week."
"Hadush Kebatu, a migrant sex offender, was mistakenly released from HMP Chelmsford, leading to a costly police manhunt that totaled 150,000 for Essex and Metropolitan Police."
"Justice Secretary David Lammy deemed the number of wrongful releases unacceptable and announced the introduction of digital identities and biometric systems to improve accuracy."
"An independent investigation found that poor communication among staff at HMP Chelmsford contributed to the wrongful releases, with 15 out of 35 cases involving sentence miscalculations."
In the year leading to March 2026, 179 prisoners were released in error in England and Wales, including sex offenders. This mistake resulted in a costly police manhunt for a migrant sex offender, Hadush Kebatu, who had assaulted a minor. Justice Secretary David Lammy acknowledged the issue and announced plans to implement digital and biometric systems to prevent future errors. An independent investigation revealed systemic communication failures and miscalculations in sentencing as contributing factors to the wrongful releases.
Read at www.independent.co.uk
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