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The Sun
3 hours ago
- The Sun
Our village has become ‘no go zone' after migrant hotel opened nearby – we're scared to let our children out at night
RESIDENTS are fuming after a migrant hotel cropped up by their pretty village, saying they are scared to go out at night because its so rowdy. The Ibis hotel in the leafy Northamptonshire village of Crick has been operating as a make-shift asylum centre since last November. 7 7 7 The idyllic village, which has a population of less than 2,000 people, has thatched houses, a marina and its own cricket club. But residents claim the area has gone downhill with late-night football matches and packs of men roaming the streets. Villagers claim the area "feels overrun" by migrants. Some locals are too scared to let their children out after dark after a woman was attacked in nearby Rugby, Warwickshire, last week. Asylum seeker Ahmed Muhammad Almahi, 32, has been charged with sexual assault and is due to appear at Warwick Crown Court next month. The suspected assault has shocked local residents and led to an angry crowd of hundreds protesting outside the 111-room hotel on Friday evening. Community leaders are now demanding that Serco, which is responsible for housing asylum seekers, take a tougher stance on migrants staying at the hotel. Police have deployed extra officers to reassure the community, who say they are scared to go outside. But Serco said: "This is not a detention centre and we do not run a security operation." Crick Parish Council issued a statement saying: "The parish council is aware of and is extremely concerned about recent incidents involving the Ibis hotel at Crick. "Regarding the use of the playing field, the parish council has contacted Serco directly. "Serco have told us that they cannot impose a curfew, and the residents are not prevented from leaving the hotel. "Serco have said that they will speak to the hotel residents about using the playing field at night and making a noise. "It is worth reiterating that the decision to house immigrants at the Ibis was a central government decision and was not supported by West Northamptonshire Council or Crick Parish Council, both of whom strongly object." The council also urged residents to contact police if they witness any criminal activity. It comes after a series of protests outside of asylum seeker hotels have taken place across the country this month. This morning, a coach-load of asylum seekers were seen running into a 4-star London migrant hotel under the cover of darkness after protests erupted outside. And a Labour MP in Bournemouth demanded three seaside migrant hotels be shut to help save his town's tourist trade after The Sun revealed they were used by asylum seekers. Tom Hayes said he understood the frustrations of locals and businesses at having to live with the taxpayer-funded residences yards from one of Britain's best beaches. And a migrant has been charged after allegedly sexually assaulting a man at the Bell Hotel - just weeks after fierce protests erupted outside. Mohammed Sharwarq, 32, who lives at the hotel in Epping, Essex, appeared in court yesterday. He has been charged with two counts of common assault, four counts of assault by beating and one count of sexual assault. 'THEY'RE ROWDY AND WE CAN'T SLEEP' One Crick villager, who was too scared to be named, said: "I don't want them here - they have come here illegally but are treated as guests. "We have a really big problem in Crick. It feels like the whole place is overrun with them. "They go to the park in the afternoon and play football, sometimes late at night and are always in large groups. They are rowdy and people living nearby can't sleep. "They've been told to stop doing that as it's a park for children, not adults, but they just carried on. "We heard one boy got his football stolen on there. "It's quite intimidating when you're walking the dog and you come across theses packs of men everywhere." A father-of-two said he is "worried" about letting his daughters go out after dark. He said: "As a dad of two teenage girls I am worried about them even walking round the corner from a friend's house. "I can understand these people are bored and are waiting to be processed but they're making our lives a misery. "If I could move my family to another town I would do but I don't think anyone would want to move in next to a migrant hotel." Another said: "I see them knocking around regularly, along the green. "They get on the bus and don't bother paying the fare, which causes all sorts of problems. 'IT'S A HELL HOLE' "I know if people who have had problems, but they need somewhere to go. "Just not here. The government has a lot to answer for - it's turning our village into a hell hole." Stuart Andrew, Conservative MP for the Daventry Constituency covering Crick, said safety of residents in his area is his "highest priority". He added: "I have been consistently raising concerns with the Home Office about the situation in Crick. "I will continue working closely with local authorities to help ensure our communities are safe for all." Liberal Democrat councillor Rosie Humphreys, who represents the Crick ward, previously said: "I am in complete agreement with Crick Parish Council's position that the Ibis is totally unsuitable for use as a contingency hotel. "The Ibis lacks any facilities close by and is in a remote location - it beggars belief that the Home Office can think it appropriate to use this hotel again. "Even if the government has inherited an asylum system that is all but broken, with thousands stuck in a backlog without their claims processed, this is no reason to make a bad decision again by reopening the Ibis for asylum seekers." Northamptonshire Police have deployed extra patrols to the village in a bid to "offer reassurance" to residents. A force spokeswoman said: "We are aware a man from Crick has been charged with sexual assault by Warwickshire Police following an incident in Rugby on Tuesday, August 5. "We know this incident has caused concern to people living in the area and our Neighbourhood Policing Team have been completing extra patrols in Crick in recent days to offer reassurance." A Serco spokesperson said: "Serco is responsible for the accommodation of asylum seekers on behalf of the Government. "However, under Home Office rules, asylum seekers are free to come and go from their accommodation as they wish. "This is not a detention centre and we do not run a security operation. "All asylum seekers are given an induction into what is expected of anyone living in the UK and in common with everyone else living in this country, they are expected to obey the laws of the land. "Any anti-social behaviour or illegal activities should be reported to the police who will handle the issue." Accor, which owns Ibis, said: "This hotel is an independently owned and operated property. Its alternative use follows an agreement between the owner of the property and the Home Office." 7 7 7
BBC News
6 days ago
- BBC News
Police patrols in Crick after sexual assault charge
A police force has said it is doing extra patrols in a village where a man was recently charged with a sexual Muhammad Almahi, 32, of Parklands in Crick, Northamptonshire, was charged with sexual assault on a female in Rugby, Warwickshire on Tuesday has been remanded in custody and is due to appear at Warwick Crown Court on 11 September for a plea and trial preparation Police said: "We know this [alleged] incident has caused concern to people living in the area and our Neighbourhood Policing Team have been completing extra patrols in Crick in recent days to offer reassurance." Warwickshire Police said the alleged offence followed an incident that happened on Hillmorton Road and Crick Road in Rugby a day Almahi appeared at Coventry Magistrates' Court on Northamptonshire force said it continued to "work closely with partners including local councillors and West Northamptonshire Council to help respond to any concerns people may have and encourage people to contact us if they have any questions".It added people should reports crimes directly to the force "online, via 101 or 999 in an emergency".Stuart Andrew, Conservative MP for Daventry, said he was "deeply concerned" about the alleged incident. Follow Northamptonshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
BBC News
06-08-2025
- BBC News
Man charged with sexual assault after Rugby incident
A man has been charged with sexual assault against a woman in relation to an incident in Rugby, police have Muhammad Almahi, 32, of Parklands in Crick, Northamptonshire, was charged with sexual assault on a female on Tuesday Police said it followed an incident that happened on Hillmorton Road and Crick Road in Rugby a day earlier.A force spokesperson said he was remanded in custody and was due to appear before Coventry Magistrates' Court on Wednesday. Follow BBC Coventry & Warwickshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
