It’s reported the illegal migrant was given taxpayer cash as he was deported to sweeten the deal.
Hadush Kebatu was handed taxpayer cash alongside his deportation (Image: PA)
Epping hotel illegal migrant and sex offender Hadush Kebatu was handed £500 of taxpayer cash as he was deported, after threatening to disrupt the removal process.
The news comes after the Home Office confirmed this morning that he had finally been deported back to Ethiopia, following his farcical mistaken release from prison last week.
It’s understood that the Home Office was forced to hand him the cash in order to ensure they could finally get him out of the country.
Mr Kebatu was escorted onto a plane by guards at Heathrow Airport late last night, bringing to an end the sorry saga for the Home Office and Ministry of Justice.
Mr Kebatu was wrongly freed from HMP Chelmsford on Friday morning instead of being sent to an immigration detention centre. According to the Home Office, sparking a nationwide manhunt.
It is understood that he was forcibly deported by a team of five escorts who accompanied Mr Kebatu on the flight to Ethiopia.
Despite his lawyer claiming during the trial that he wished to be sent back home, Mr Kebatu then began threatening to disrupt the removal.
This sparked a last-minute Home Office decision to hand him a discretionary £500 payment, which was believed to be better than the alternative of a slower and more expensive process.
The Home Office believed that failing to hand over the cash would have led to a further detention, a new flight and potentially further costly legal claims.
However they insisted the decision was made independently of the department’s ministers and by the removal team.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said: “Last week’s blunder should never have happened – and I share the public’s anger that it did. I would like to thank the police for rapidly bringing Mr Kebatu into custody and the public for their vigilance.
“I have pulled every lever to deport Mr Kebatu and remove him from British soil. I am pleased to confirm this vile child sex offender has been deported. Our streets are safer because of it.
“If you come to this country and commit crimes, we will remove you.”
