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The Chair of the Prison Officers’ Association, Mark Fairhurst told Channel 4 News that officers were “devastated” over the error that led to asylum seeker and convicted sex offender Hadush Kebatu being released from prison when he should’ve been sent to an immigration centre, and then deported. He told Jackie Long that although his union has effectively apologised for what happened, “we don’t actually know who’s at fault, but somewhere along the way, something has been missed. We accept that.” “We don’t actually know who’s at fault, but somewhere along the way, something has been missed. We accept that.” – Mark Fairhurst The union chair felt the member who has been suspended from duty has been “unjustly singled out” and they will need to wait until an inquiry into the incident to find out if any officer was at fault or not. The Justice Secretary David Lammy told MPs on Monday it was probably “human error” that led to the release. When pressed by Jackie Long that prison officers have to take responsibility for this, Mr Fairhurst responded that it may be human error, but “not necessarily prison officer error.” He said that there was a lengthy process involved in prisoner transfers and releases. “This whole process starts in the offender management unit, where there are admin grades processed in the paperwork. There are two separate management checks along the way, one at 14 days prior to release, and then the duty governor signs it off two days prior release.” he told Channel 4 News. “So if that paperwork says that prisoners should be released instead of held there, awaiting immigration removal, then that’s what we do.” Between April 2024 and March 2025, 262 prisoners were released in error, according to government statistics, a 128% increase from the previous year. Mr Fairhurst said there were systemic issues – though when Jackie Long put it to him that the officers were part of that system, he said although they “do do the checks when we discharge people” that is “down to the process and the paperwork.” He queried whether on this occasion, the immigration services and Border Force hadn’t “sent the correct paperwork that gives us the authority to hold that prisoner, pending a transfer.” The government has introduced new checks at the point of release, including the physical presence of a Duty Governor. Mr Fairhurst agreed that a more “robust and stringent” procedure could help eliminate errors, but questioned why it has taken 12 months. His other concern was the lack of training for officers as they move between different roles within the prison system, and new immigration rules that mean the service could potentially lose a number of overseas staff because of visa issues. Mr Fairhurst told Jackie Long this move could affect 4 thousand overseas recruits, and will “totally destabilise prisons.” “These are decent, hardworking people who’ve made a life for themselves by providing a public service, paying tax and national insurance. And this government has made the abhorrent decision to target them for deportation, totally wrong.” The POA has asked for an exemption from the government, but “so far we have been denied.” Watch more here
