Migrant sex offender Hadush Kebatu was handed £500 in taxpayer-funded cash before being deported to Ethiopia.
The payment was part of a government scheme providing financial support to deportees upon removal.
Kebatu, who had previously been convicted of sexual offences in the UK, was among several foreign criminals benefiting from the policy.
Critics have condemned the payout as a misuse of public money, arguing it rewards offenders rather than deterring crime.
The Home Office defended the scheme, claiming it helps ensure deportations proceed smoothly and reduces the likelihood of returnees attempting to re-enter the country illegally.
