Sex offender Hadush Kebatu was mistakenly freed from HMP Chelmsford on Friday instead of being transferred to an immigration detention centre. The error has sparked widespread criticism and raised concerns about the increasing frequency of prisoner release mistakes across England and Wales.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer (Labour) described the incident as "totally unacceptable". Shadow home secretary Chris Philp condemned what he called "staggering incompetence" in the handling of the case.
Rising error rates concern experts
Chief inspector of prisons Charlie Taylor said frequent changes to early release procedures are making mistakes more common. He told Times Radio that the system has become "more complicated over the years" and represents "a movable feast" for staff calculating sentences.
Taylor highlighted communication problems between prisons and the Home Office as a contributing factor. He suggested the process needs to be more streamlined to prevent future errors.
Dramatic increase in mistakes
The number of prisoners released in error has surged dramatically in recent years. Taylor revealed that three to four years ago, approximately 50 to 60 such mistakes occurred annually, but this figure has now reached 250 per year.
Official statistics show 262 prisoners were released in error across England and Wales in the 12 months to March this year. This represents a 128 per cent increase from the previous year's figure of 115 cases, with 233 involving prisons directly.
Staffing pressures fuel problems
Taylor attributed many errors to inexperienced staff handling complex tasks under severe time pressure. He explained that high staff turnover in prisons means relatively new employees are managing complicated release calculations.
The problem extends beyond early releases, with some prisoners also being held beyond their correct release dates. A recent inspection of HMP Pentonville found inmates still detained after they should have been freed.
Kebatu was located and arrested by police on Sunday morning following the error. An investigation has been ordered into the incident, while Chelmsford's Liberal Democrat MP Marie Goldman has called for a national inquiry into the broader issue.
Sources used: "PA Media" Note: This article has been created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
