How many prisoners are released by mistake? Here are the stats as search for migrant sex offender continues

The manhunt for a migrant who sexually assaulted a schoolgirl, and was released from prison in error, is ongoing.

Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu was jailed for 12 months earlier this year after he sexually assaulted a 14-year-old girl and a woman in Epping.

He had been staying in the Bell Hotel in Epping and his arrest triggered large-scale protests and disorder.

The Ethiopian national, who came to the UK on a small boat in the summer, is now being searched for by the police after he was accidentally freed on Friday.

Follow the latest updates on the manhunt

How many prisoners are released in error?

According to government statistics published in July, 262 prisoners were released in error in the 12 months to March 2025 - a 128% increase from 115 the previous year.

The report states: "Of the 262 releases in error, 233 of these releases in error occurred from prison establishments, while 29 were released in error at the courts.

"Releases in error from establishments could also be a result of errors by the court."

This is out of a total prison population across England and Wales of roughly 86,000.

Sky News has contacted the HM Prison & Probation Service to know how many of the 262 prisoners have since been found and returned to custody.

In September 2024, Sky News reported how dozens of people released from jail under the government's emergency prison scheme were freed by mistake.

The Labour government said it was forced to release hundreds of inmates early because prisons were at capacity.

Kebatu, who is thought to be in the London area, was due to be deported when he was mistakenly released from HMP Chelmsford on Friday.

Previous high-profile manhunts

William Fernandez, who was awaiting trial for sexual assault, was released from HMP Wormwood by error in March 2021. He then went on to rape a 16-year-old girl and sexually assault a young woman.

In December 2019, the prisons and probation service "apologised unreservedly" after serial rapist Joseph McCann was freed to commit a series of sex attacks on women and children.

In July 2017, an inmate who was released from prison just months into a nine-year sentence due to a "clerical error" was arrested after weeks on the run.

(c) Sky News 2025: How many prisoners are released by mistake? Here are the stats as search for migra