Sex offender Hadush Kebatu's mistaken release from HMP Chelmsford on Friday has highlighted a growing crisis in the prison system. Chief inspector of prisons Charlie Taylor said changes to early release procedures are making such errors increasingly common across England and Wales.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer (Labour) described the incident as "totally unacceptable". Shadow home secretary Chris Philp condemned what he called "staggering incompetence" in the handling of the case, which saw Kebatu freed instead of being transferred to an immigration detention centre.
System complexity fuels errors
Taylor told Times Radio that frequent changes to early release procedures create a "movable feast" for prison staff calculating sentences. He explained that once staff become familiar with established procedures, fewer mistakes occur, but constant modifications have made the system "more complicated over the years".
Communication problems between prisons and the Home Office also contribute to errors, Taylor suggested. He emphasised the need for more streamlined processes to prevent future incidents of this nature.
Staffing pressures compound problems
Inexperienced staff are handling complex tasks under severe time pressure due to high staff turnover rates. Taylor highlighted that this combination of factors significantly increases the likelihood of mistakes occurring in prisoner release calculations.
The problem affects both early and late releases, with some prisoners being held beyond their correct release dates. A recent inspection of HMP Pentonville found inmates still detained after they should have been freed.
Dramatic surge in mistake rates
The number of prisoner release errors has increased dramatically from approximately 50 to 60 cases annually three to four years ago to 250 in the past year. Official statistics show 262 prisoners were released in error across England and Wales in the 12 months to March this year.
This represents a 128 per cent increase from the previous year's figure of 115 cases, with 233 involving prisons directly. A report on HMP Chelmsford noted the facility faced "considerable pressures" due to national capacity issues and staff shortfalls in reception and pre-release teams.
Kebatu was located and arrested by police on Sunday morning following the error. An investigation has been ordered into the incident, while Chelmsford's Liberal Democrat MP Marie Goldman has called for a national inquiry into the broader issue.
Sources used: "PA Media" Note: This article has been created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
