Policing Minister Admits Paying Migrant Sex Offender To Leave UK 'Sticks In The Throat'

<div><img src="https://img.huffingtonpost.com/asset/69032ca8230000422fbe1dae.jpg?cache=fOn47nN7Cp&ops=scalefit_630_noupscale" alt="Sarah Jones, minister for policing and crime" data-caption="Sarah Jones, minister for policing and crime" data-credit-link-back="" data-credit="NurPhoto via NurPhoto via Getty Images" />Sarah Jones, minister for policing and crime</div><div class="content-list-component text"><p>The minister for policing and crime Sarah Jones has admitted officials’ decision to give <a href="https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/why-was-the-migrant-sex-offender-hadush-kebatu-paid-ps500-to-leave-the-uk_uk_69022288e4b0cb45b16f0d0a">a migrant sex offender £500 to leave the UK</a> “sticks in the throat”.</p><p>Hadush Kebatu was deported to Ethiopia on Tuesday night, a month after he was found guilty of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl and a woman while he was staying in an asylum hotel in Epping.</p><p>Kebatu came over to the UK on a small boat to claim asylum but ended up triggering anti-migrant protests with his crimes.</p><p>His case caused further outrage when he was accidentally released from prison last Friday – while still serving his 12-month sentence – prompting a 48-hour manhunt.</p><p>After his recapture, five officials accompanied him on his deportation flight – and paid him £500 when he threatened to disrupt his own removal.</p><p>The decision was not made by ministers, but by the removal team who made the payment, suspecting the subsequent fallout would only cost the taxpayer more.</p><p>Speaking to Times Radio, minister Jones said while the matter of payment for Kebatu is obviously “galling,” it was the right thing to do.</p><p>She said: “I don’t think it’s a bribe. I wouldn’t use that terminology.</p><p>“Of course, this sticks