'Utter disgrace!' Peter Bleksley launches fiery tirade at 'appalling' Labour after Epping hotel migrant is mistakenly released from prison

Kebatu, an asylum seeker from Ethiopia, was mistakenly released today after being sentenced to 12 months in prison for sexual assault.

Following his accidental release, footage exclusively shared with GB News shows Kebatu engaging with two men before heading towards Chelmsford train station.

Delivering his verdict on the Kebatu's release, Mr Bleksley furiously told GB News: "This is what you get when you've got David Lammy as Justice Secretary, Shabana Mahmood as Home Secretary and a Labour Government. It's quite frankly appalling.

"All those people now who went to the streets of Epping to protest surely have been entirely vindicated, and there will be further protests now, because an ineffective criminal justice system has just released a dangerous sex offender back onto the streets where he should be behind bars. It's an utter disgrace."

As host Nana Akua argued that the fault "isn't directly with Labour", Mr Bleksley said that Shabana Mahmood's call for early release of prisoners could play a part in Kebatu being accidentally released.

The former detective explained: "Well, it's probably administrative errors, but I'm going to challenge you now on whether the Labour Government have some responsibility for this.

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"It was Shabana Mahmood, Justice Secretary, that started the early release of prisoners. It's her that's pushing a bill forward which is going to release more prisoners early, and what I suspect happened was this prisoner, who should not have been released, was probably swept up among a batch of prisoners who were being released early. That would be my best guess.

"So yes, responsibility does lay with the politicians. It's them who are letting prisoners out early to free up prison space."

Criticising the efficiency of Britain's "whole criminal justice system", Mr Bleksley stated: "The system is overcrowded and not fit for purpose, and the whole criminal justice system is in an absolute mess.

"From policing at the front line to the CPS (Crown Prosecution Service), to the courts, to the prisons, all the way through to probation, and this is a perfect example today of how Britain is becoming increasingly more dangerous."

Highlighting the "embarrassment" of the prison officers who mistakenly released Kebatu, Mr Bleksley said: "It's an administrative error, I would suspect, within the prison system, at whatever prison he was being held, or perhaps a message that was handed down. But either way, it's just an embarrassment, it's a joke.

"I used to be so proud to be part of the criminal justice system of this wonderful nation, and now it's just an embarrassment to live here, let alone anything else."

In a statement, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer shared on social media: "The mistaken release at HMP Chelmsford is totally unacceptable. I am appalled that it has happened and it’s being investigated.

"The police are working urgently to track him down, and my Government is supporting them. This man must be caught and deported for his crimes."