David Lammy was unable to say whether any other asylum seekers had been accidentally freed from prison since Hadush Kebatu’s bungled release – just minutes before it was revealed that another prisoner is on the run after mistakenly being freed in London.
Asked five times during Prime Minister’s Questions whether any foreign national offenders had been accidentally released from prison in the last few weeks, the rattled deputy prime minister – standing in for Sir Keir Starmer – repeatedly dodged the question.
As the heated back and forth came to a close, it emerged that a 24-year-old Algerian national was released in error on 29 October, just days after sex offender migrant Hadush Kebatu was wrongly freed from HMP Chelmsford instead of being sent to an immigration detention centre.
Shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge, standing in for Kemi Badenoch, asked Mr Lammy to “reassure the House that since Kebatu was released that no other asylum-seeking offender has been accidentally let out of prison”.
“It’s a very simple question to answer”, Mr Cartlidge added.
Justice secretary Mr Lammy responded: “After his release I put in place the toughest checks we’ve ever had in the prison system. It is important that Lynne Owens is able to get to the bottom of her work. I suspect there will be more checks and balances that we need to do.”
Former Metropolitan Police deputy commissioner Dame Lynne Owens will chair a probe into Kebatu’s release.
Pressing Mr Lammy further on the issue, Mr Cartlidge said: “He’s the justice secretary. He’s responsible for the justice system. He needs to take responsibility.
“And I’m going to repeat it once more for the avoidance of doubt, because he did not answer it twice. Can he reassure the House that since Kebatu was released, no other asylum-seeking offender has been accidentally let out of prison?”
Becoming increasingly agitated, the deputy prime minister responded: “Get a grip, man, I know I’m the justice secretary, that’s why I’m at the despatch box.
“We know that there have been spikes since 2021 under his watch. When did he come to this House and apologise?”
Asked for a final time, Mr Lammy replied: “I spent 14 years in opposition and I did a hell of a lot better than he’s just done. I have answered the question. Under their watch, prisons were in a mess. Suicides went up. Prison officer cut – 20,000 neighbourhood police lost.”
To make matters worse for Mr Lammy, he began PMQs not wearing a poppy and was passed one by Labour MP and former RAF officer Calvin Bailey mid-way through the Commons clash.
He told the Commons he was initially not wearing one because he “bought a new suit this morning, because my godmother said she would be watching”.
“I’m very grateful to the honourable member for Sunderland South for ensuring that, despite wearing a new suit, I’ve managed to put my poppy on.
“We wear the poppy to remember all those who fought and died for this country. They represented every walk of life, every race and every religion,” Mr Lammy added.
Raising a point of order at the end of Prime Minister’s Questions, Mr Cartlidge said: “The Telegraph are reporting that a police manhunt has been launched for a second asylum seeker mistakenly freed from prison.
“The question is, Mr Speaker, can you advise on how I can ask the justice secretary whether he was aware of this when I asked him about it repeatedly in Prime Minister’s Questions.”
Kebatu – who sexually assaulted a 14-year-old girl and a woman – was forcibly sent back to Ethiopia last week after being accidentally freed from HMP Chelmsford.
He crossed the Channel in a small boat to enter the UK on 29 June and had been living at the Bell Hotel in Epping, Essex, when he sexually assaulted a 14-year-old girl and a woman, sparking a wave of protests outside the accommodation used to house asylum seekers.
The error triggered a two-day manhunt, which ended when he was rearrested in London. He was then given a £500 payment after threatening to disrupt his deportation flight.
A Met Police spokesperson said: “Shortly after 1pm on Tuesday 4 November, the Met was informed by the Prison Service that a prisoner had been released in error from HMP Wandsworth on Wednesday 29 October.
“The prisoner is a 24-year-old Algerian man. Officers are carrying out urgent enquiries in an effort to locate him and return him to custody.”
