A Man Who Entered Britain on a Small Boat and Claimed Asylum Was Later Convicted of Sexually Assaulting a 14-Year-Old Girl, Then Received an Offer Before Leaving the Country That Surprised Many People

The Labour government has spent millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money on a scheme that pays some foreign criminals to leave the UK voluntarily, according to figures obtained by the Daily Mail. The data shows that between July 2024, when Labour came to power, and October 2025, a total of £6.5 million was paid out under the Facilitated Return Scheme (FRS), a long-running Home Office programme that offers financial assistance to eligible foreign national offenders who agree to return to their home countries.

The figures reveal that £6,500,626 was distributed to 4,625 convicted foreign nationals during that period. On average, each person received around £1,405. The purpose of the scheme is to encourage offenders to cooperate with their removal from the UK as early as possible, with some being deported up to four years before they would otherwise have completed their prison sentences.

The issue attracted widespread public attention after the case of Hadush Kebatu, a convicted sex offender who was paid £500 before being removed to Ethiopia. Kebatu had arrived in Britain on a small boat and claimed asylum before later being convicted of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl and another woman while living at the Bell Hotel in Epping. His case became even more controversial after he was mistakenly released from prison instead of being handed over to immigration officials, triggering a nationwide search.

Police eventually found and arrested Kebatu after he had been missing for three days. Reports said he later threatened to resist deportation and even considered launching a fresh asylum claim. Although he reportedly agreed to cooperate after receiving a £500 discretionary payment, officials later said his behaviour worsened, leading to him being forcibly removed from the UK by a team of five security officers.

The newly released figures show that October 2025 recorded the highest monthly spending under the scheme, with £590,913 paid to 410 people. The lowest monthly total came in January 2025, when £291,277 was paid to 211 offenders.

The information only became public after the Daily Mail challenged the Home Office’s earlier refusal to release the figures. Initially, officials argued that the data would eventually be published and was therefore exempt from disclosure under Freedom of Information rules. However, the department later confirmed that it had no plans to publish the spending figures, making the newspaper’s legal challenge the reason the information became available.

The Facilitated Return Scheme has existed since 2006 and has been used by governments of different political parties. According to the Home Office, it provides financial support to help foreign national offenders rebuild their lives in their home countries while encouraging them to leave the UK voluntarily rather than remain in detention or pursue lengthy legal appeals.

Under the rules of the scheme, offenders who apply while still serving a prison sentence can receive up to £1,500. Those who apply after completing their sentence, or who were not given a custodial sentence, can receive up to £750. In some cases, children returning with their parent can also receive grants of up to £1,500 each. However, the Daily Mail reports that only two offenders who received payments during the period covered by the figures returned with dependants.

There is also a discretionary payment of up to £500 available for offenders considered vulnerable. This can include people with mental health conditions, physical disabilities, pregnant women, elderly people, those who are seriously ill, or individuals who are homeless. It has not been confirmed which, if any, of these conditions applied in Kebatu’s case.

The Home Office says the payments are not intended to reward offenders but to reduce the overall cost to taxpayers. Officials argue that voluntary returns are significantly cheaper than keeping offenders in prison for longer periods or paying the legal costs associated with deportation appeals. Government figures estimate that housing a prisoner costs more than £53,000 each year, and ministers claim the scheme can save taxpayers as much as £215,000 per offender in some cases.

A Home Office spokesperson acknowledged that paying offenders to leave the country is “not ideal” but said the programme provides better value for money than continued imprisonment or lengthy legal proceedings.

The department also stated that nearly 70,000 people with no legal right to remain in the UK have been removed since the election, representing a 41% increase compared with the previous 21 months. It added that the number of foreign national offenders deported, including those convicted of serious crimes such as murder and rape, has increased by 36%, with almost 10,000 removed since the last general election.