Robert Jenrick has hit out at the “astonishing failure” of Britain’s justice system after Epping hotel migrant Hadush Kebatu was mistakenly released from prison.
Speaking to GB News, the Shadow Justice Secretary tore into the “parable of broken Britain” as he called on the authorities to “find and deport” the man as soon as possible.
Kebatu, an Ethiopian asylum seeker, boarded a train to London this afternoon after being accidentally released from prison in an “error”.
In shocking footage exclusively shared with GB News, Kebatu appeared to be speaking with two individuals holding a prison bag on Chelmsford High Street ahead of his train journey.
Robert Jenrick has torn into the ‘astonishing failure’ of Epping hotel migrant Hadush Kebatu being mistakenly released from prison
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SUPPLIED / GB NEWS
Delivering his verdict on the mistake, Mr Jenrick told GB News: “This is an absolutely astonishing development. It’s a complete disgrace that this individual has been released in this way.
“It’s like a parable for how broken our country is right now, that somebody who was the subject of so much public interest, the protests in Epping, which I went to see and to stand shoulder to shoulder with the mums and the grandmothers and the local residents there should finally be dragged through the courts, found guilty and now should have been deported.
“But instead, due to this absolutely astonishing failure he is out on the streets of our country, potentially causing harm to our citizens.”
Calling on the authorities to “get a grip” and find Kebatu, Mr Jenrick fumed: “The Ministry of Justice needs to get a grip, find this individual immediately and deport them from our country so they never step foot on British soil again.”
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Asked by host Patrick Christys if Justice Secretary David Lammy should resign, Mr Jenrick explained: “He’s got to find this man, and it is just beggars belief that this has happened. I cannot understand the level of incompetence that lies behind this.
“So, task one, get this man, task two, get him deported, and then three, come to Parliament on Monday and explain how this has happened. Who is going to be held to account? And if he can’t, then David Lammy has to consider his own position.
“But the task before him at the moment is to find this dangerous man and get him out of our country as quickly as possible.”
Highlighting that the small boats crisis is a “national emergency” in Britain, the Shadow Justice Secretary stated: “I’ve always said for years now that the small boats crisis is a national security emergency that is putting women and girls in our country in serious danger.
Mr Jenrick told GB News told the Labour Government to ‘find and deport’ Hadush Kebatu
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GB NEWS
“Having so many people coming in, completely undocumented men, often from countries with frankly medieval attitudes towards women, at times I’ve been pilloried by the left for saying that, but I’ve always stood by it. It is true, and we’ve got to fix this.
“That means detaining and deporting absolutely every migrant who comes here illegally on a small boat or otherwise. So they never walk the streets of our country.”
Taking aim at the Government over the grooming gangs inquiry, Mr Jenrick concluded: “On issues like the grooming gangs, let’s get to the bottom of this. What is happening with this inquiry? It’s a disgrace that Starmer was dragged kicking and screaming into having it, and now, four or five months later, nothing is going on.
“In fact, he’s tried to manipulate it to sabotage it, and he’s been called out by the fact that the candidates for the top job and so many of the survivors on the panel have walked away. They’ve got to get this inquiry up and running so we get justice and some answers for the victims.”