Daniel Sandford,UK correspondentand
Maia Davies
A migrant sex offender mistakenly released from prison was given a £500 payment after threatening to disrupt his deportation from the UK to Ethiopia.
Hadush Kebatu was jailed after sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl and a woman while living in an asylum hotel in Epping, Essex, but was mistakenly freed by prison staff on Friday. He was re-arrested after two days.
The Ethiopian was put on a flight on Tuesday night and landed the following morning, the Home Office said.
The payment was made by the removal team as an alternative to a slower and more expensive process, Sir Keir Starmer’s spokesman said.
He said Kebatu was “forcibly deported” and accompanied by five escorts on the flight.
Meanwhile, Kebatu told Sky News he had tried to hand himself in to a police officer the day before he was re-arrested – but was ignored.
“I [told] police, look here, police I am wanted man, I am arrested, I will give you my hand, please help where is police station? He ignored me, he drove [off],” Kebatu said after arriving back to his home country.
In a statement the Metropolitan Police said it was “not aware of any evidence to support the claims that Kebatu approached officers on Saturday morning”.
“The actions of officers who responded to the sighting of him on Sunday morning show how seriously they were taking the manhunt. Kebatu’s actions on the morning of his arrest were more like those of someone trying to avoid officers, not trying to hand himself in,” the force added.
Paid removals are normal under the Facilitated Returns Scheme, with foreign nationals who agree to leave the UK being given £1,500.
Downing Street said Kebatu had attempted to apply for the Facilitated Returns Scheme, but his bid was denied.
He was turned down because the government wanted to remove him quickly and not pay him £1,500, the BBC understands.
“Forcible” returns do not usually involve payments, but removal teams can decide to make a discretionary payment to ensure things go smoothly.
There was concern that it would cost much more to re-book flights – running into several thousands of pounds – and it might have led to expensive legal action.
Sources say the decision to make the payment to Kebatu was made by the removal team, not ministers.
The payment avoided a “slower, more expensive process for the taxpayer, which would have included detention, a new flight and potentially fighting subsequent legal claims,” the prime minister’s spokesman said.
The Migration and Citizenship Minister, Mike Tapp, said putting Kebatu on another flight would have “cost a hell of a lot more to the taxpayers.”
“The alternative to that was to ta
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