David Lammy 'apologies to girl's father' after mistaken release of migrant
The 14-year-old girl's father met with the Justice Secretary on Thursday and told ITV News afterwards that Mr Lammy had apologised to him
The father of a teenage girl who was sexually assaulted by an asylum seeker in Epping in Essex said David Lammy has apologised to him in person after the offender was mistakenly released from prison.
The 14-year-old girl's father met with the Justice Secretary on Thursday and told ITV News afterwards that Mr Lammy had apologised to him.
But he told the broadcaster that he "didn't get any answers, really".
Migrant Hadush Kebatu had been living at the Bell Hotel in Epping when he sexually assaulted the teenage girl and a woman, sparking a wave of protests outside the accommodation used to house asylum seekers.
His trial heard he had made inappropriate comments to the teenage girl before trying to kiss her on July 7, just days after his arrival in the UK.
The following day, Kebatu sexually assaulted a woman by attempting to kiss her, placing his hand on her leg, and telling her she was "pretty".
He denied the charges against him but was found guilty of five offences and sentenced in September to 12 months in custody.
Kebatu was then wrongly freed from HMP Chelmsford in October instead of being sent to an immigration detention centre, triggering a two-day manhunt.
The Ethiopian national was forcibly removed to his home country on October 28 with a team of five escorts on the flight.
The father of the teenage girl who was assaulted by Kebatu told ITV News, after meeting Mr Lammy: "I thought today would've given me some sort of closure and a bit of a clearer mind.
"But if I'm honest, it hasn't.
"We didn't get any answers, really."
He told the broadcaster that Mr Lammy had "earned" his respect for apologising to him in person, but he had not forgiven the Deputy Prime Minister and the government for their failings.
"I wouldn't say he's earned forgiveness," said the girl's father, whose identity cannot be revealed in order to protect his daughter's anonymity.
"At a push, he's earned my respect today for the way he presented that apology.
"There's a lot to forgive, and to be honest, I don't know if I'm ever going to be able to forgive for that."
In an earlier interview, the girl said she felt "put in danger all over again" by Kebatu's mistaken release.
The girl added that she thought a £500 payment Kebatu received after he threatened to mount a legal challenge against his removal was "like he got paid for what he had done to me."