179 Erroneous Prisoner Releases in England and Wales

Government figures show that 179 prisoners were released in error across England and Wales between April 2025 and March 2026, an average of three per week, according to data released by the Ministry of Justice on Wednesday. The total marks a decrease from 262 such incidents in the prior year, though officials described the errors as unacceptable and outlined new measures to address them.

The disclosures come amid scrutiny of high-profile blunders, including the mistaken release last October of Hadush Kebatu from HMP Chelmsford in Essex. Kebatu, a small boat migrant housed at the Bell Hotel in Epping, had been sentenced to 12 months for sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl and a woman. Freed after just one month, he prompted a manhunt involving Essex Police and the Metropolitan Police that lasted three days and cost 150,000 pounds before his arrest in north London. He was later deported.

An independent review led by Dame Lynne Owens, former head of the National Crime Agency, examined Kebatu's case and 34 others, identifying systemic failures such as human error, poor communication among staff and shortcomings in technology and policies. In Kebatu's instance, the report cited...