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Asylum seeker ‘sexually assaulted' girl days after arriving in UK on small boat sparking protest outside migrant hotel
Asylum seeker ‘sexually assaulted' girl days after arriving in UK on small boat sparking protest outside migrant hotel

The Sun

time3 hours ago

  • The Sun

Asylum seeker ‘sexually assaulted' girl days after arriving in UK on small boat sparking protest outside migrant hotel

AN asylum seeker has been accused of sexually assaulting a teenage girl just eight days after he arrived in the UK on a small boat. Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, 38, is accused of three sexual assaults in two days with all the alleged offences taking place in Epping. 4 4 4 Kebatu, who is originally from Ethiopia, was charged with three counts of sexual assault, one count of inciting a girl to engage in sexual activity, and one count of harassment without violence. He appeared at Colchester magistrates' court last week and denies all charges which relate to two teenagers and a woman. The 38-year-old defendant, of High Road in Epping, was remanded in custody after the hearing. The charges sparked a protest of about 300 people outside the Bell Hotel in Epping, Essex, on Sunday. Those in attendance said they were protesting against the continued use of the local hotel as an asylum centre. Police had to break up a fight between two men outside the three-star establishment used to house migrants. Protesters were seen clashing with counter-demonstrators as tensions rose in Epping. At least two people suffered injuries, but Essex police reported no arrests. Kebatu is looking at facing a trial within 56 days, District Judge Christopher Williams said in court on Thursday. Migrant camps brace for impact as UK-France deal fuels crossings Prosecutor Serena Berry told the 45-minute hearing at Colchester magistrates' court that one of the alleged victims had been approached "on a busy High Street". She said Kebatu had "no ties to anyone or any place in the UK", adding: " Immigration have confirmed he has only been in the UK since 29 June 2025." Raphael Piggott, defending, said: "I believe he is here as a refugee or asylum seeker, and that he arrived informally on a boat." Essex Police said it became aware of alleged offences after a girl reported concerns. Supt Tim Tubbs said: "We're aware of a significant amount of public discussion around this case - and I understand that." Targeted police patrols would continue in the town, he added. 4

EXCLUSIVE How an asylum seeker hotel at the centre of violent protests 'over migrant sex attacks' has long plagued its market town - and tensions have been boiling for years
EXCLUSIVE How an asylum seeker hotel at the centre of violent protests 'over migrant sex attacks' has long plagued its market town - and tensions have been boiling for years

Daily Mail​

time12 hours ago

  • Daily Mail​

EXCLUSIVE How an asylum seeker hotel at the centre of violent protests 'over migrant sex attacks' has long plagued its market town - and tensions have been boiling for years

Five years ago, a shabby run down hotel on the edge of the Essex market town of Epping became the subject of unwarranted attention. The 79-room Bell Hotel became home to around 100 new residents - all men said to be from Africa, Asia and the Middle East. It happened as thousands of asylum seekers continued to arrive illegally in the UK as the Covid pandemic erupted and Britain went into lockdown. The sudden arrival of the new residents triggered years of simmering tensions in the community which in recent days, following a series of alarming events, has led to scenes of ugly violence. On Sunday night, rival groups of anti-migrant demonstrators and counter-protesters faced off outside the hotel. Two people, who worked as security guards at the hotel, were left bloodied and injured in what police have described as a racially motivated attack. The violence erupted after a resident of the hotel was accused of three sex attacks in two days - including one on a schoolgirl - just eight days after arriving by small boat in the UK. Victims - said to be two teenage girls and a woman - were approached 'on a busy high street'. Ethiopian-born Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, 38, was remanded in custody by magistrates last Thursday after he was charged with three counts of sexual assault, one count of inciting a girl to engage in sexual activity and one count of harassment without violence. Kebatu, who denies wrongdoing, is said to have arrived in Britain on June 29. The alleged offences follow in the wake of two serious arson attacks - one which led to another local hotel housing asylum seekers being severely damaged after it was engulfed in flames. Eight days later, The Bell Hotel was targeted when a blaze broke out in a ground-floor bedroom. The incidents were no acts of misplaced vigilante retribution. Both fires were alleged to have been started by the same man - a resident who was moved from one hotel to the other. On May 7, Abdul Rahman, 36, was remanded in custody at Chelmsford Crown Court after being accused of two offences of arson with intent to endanger life. Now MailOnline can reveal that an extraordinary intervention by Keir Starmer's government lies at the heart of events that led to a growing wave of anger in the community. Two local MPs have requested an urgent meeting with the Home Secretary and called for the hotel to be shut down immediately amid claims that locals were kept in the dark before the migrants were parachuted into 'unsuitable' accommodation. The town's troubles began after migrants were placed in the hotel on what was supposed to be a temporary basis in 2020. At the time, the Home Office booked 4,000 hotel rooms in different parts of the country to house asylum seekers to deal with a surge in illegal cross-Channel arrivals as the Covid pandemic took hold. The Home Office and its asylum accommodation providers began using hotels, generally those with three stars, because of action to halt removals of asylum applicants from existing properties during the crisis. To make matters worse, the issue was quickly exploited by right-wing activists. A local councillor who represents the For Britain movement was accused of inciting racial hatred after he posted an incendiary video on YouTube in 2020. The video, called The Epping Migrant Hotel Scandal, highlighted how the Bell Hotel was being used by asylum seekers and illegal immigrants who had come to the UK to exploit the benefits system. The councillor claimed that provisions from a food bank were being diverted away from local people and that the new residents of the hotel had caused an increase in shoplifting and pickpocketing as well as posing a security risk. In response, Epping Forest District Council published a 'myth-busting' leaflet to counter 'unfounded rumours' that had circulated on social media leaving many residents 'unnecessarily alarmed'. The council insisted the Home Office use of The Bell had 'no negative impact on local residents'. Holly Whitbread, the council's housing portfolio holder, said: 'It is not costing Epping Forest district council anything. 'It is not affecting our council house allocations or being funded through our local housing budget, and it is not impacting local crime levels, with no increase in crime or crime linked to the hotel. 'They are not a threat to local people and I would appeal to everyone to leave them in peace while the government deals with their claims.' Local politicians were, however, raising objections to the move and frustrations grew as it became clear that no paying guests would return to the hotel for the foreseeable future. Council leaders insisted The Bell and the nearby Epping Phoenix Hotel - were unsuitable locations for housing refugees and asylum seekers who 'require complex and comprehensive support measures'. Opinions were divided over the arrival of the new residents. Local church groups rallied together to provide support for the hotel's residents over concerns for their welfare. A number of locals have reported that crimes had increased in the town after the migrants moved in with incidents of theft, anti-social behaviour, criminal damage and women being harassed in the streets. However, councillors have insisted crime has not increased since the hotel began housing asylum seekers. Tensions remained until it was revealed in January last year that The Bell would no longer provide accommodation to asylum seekers after its contract was terminated by the Home Office. The Government of the time announced the arrangement would cease by the end of April 2024 and that residents would be moved to 'other parts of the asylum estate'. Yet, within a year, the decision was reversed by the new Labour government as record levels of migrants continued to flood into the country. Local politicians, who had fought for the hotel to be closed down, insisted their hands were tied over the matter. When immigrants began moving in last March, one official said: 'We have been informed but were not consulted. 'However, we have expressed our concerns for the health and well-being of people placed in unsuitable accommodation which lacks the necessary social, medical and transport infrastructure. 'We have not been given timescales but appeal to the Home Office to act quickly in finding more suitable accommodation as soon as possible.' Within days, residents of the Phoenix Hotel were evacuated and had to be taken to alternative accommodation following the first arson attack. Despite suffering significant damage, the hotel is back up and running and is still being used to house migrants. In the wake of Sunday's disorder, local political leaders have held meetings with Home Office officials and have launched a petition for the 'immediate and permanent closure' of the hotels which had become the focus of 'serious safety concerns'. Councillor Chris Whitbread, the Conservative Leader of the local council, said he took pride in the 'tolerance, good sense and decent nature' of the local community. He said the hotels had 'run their course' and 'must close' and called on local residents to 'stand together peacefully'. He said: 'Let me be absolutely clear. Epping Forest District Council has consistently and repeatedly opposed the use of the Bell Hotel to accommodate asylum seekers. 'From the outset, we warned the Home Office that this site is entirely inappropriate. 'Placing vulnerable individuals from a wide range of cultural backgrounds into an unsupervised setting, in the centre of a small town, without the proper infrastructure, support or services, is both reckless and unacceptable. 'It puts pressure on local services, causes understandable concern for residents, and is unfair on those placed in the hotel. 'The Home Office must now face the reality of the situation. The Bell Hotel must be closed without delay. Our warnings have been ignored for too long.' Following the sex attacks, violence erupted after anti-migrant protesters gathered outside The Bell before the arrival of a rival 'Refugees Welcome' demonstration. Police were forced to intervene as large crowds jeered, with some shouting obscenities while one person was heard screaming 'Go home you c***, go home. F*** off back on your boat and go'. Shocking footage emerged showing one man bleeding heavily from his head as he limped to the hotel. In another clip, two men are seen punching one another and wrestling next to a car before police charged in to break up the brawl. A third video shows a large crowd of people - some of whom were waving the flag of St George - massing opposite the property and repeatedly chanting 'protect our kids', as about a dozen police stood guard. No arrests were made at the time. Among those who witnessed the drama was father-of-three Adam Brooks, an anti-knife campaigner whose father was brutally stabbed to death when he was a child. The Essex-based publican said: 'There's a protest because a migrant was charged with sexual assault against a young girl in Epping High Road last week. 'There are worried mothers, worried children, there's grandmothers, fathers, uncles, grandads, and we've got an anti-racism lot that have turned up. 'Things are getting heated here. I just cannot believe that an anti-racism mob would turn up against something like this.' One migrant living at the hotel told MailOnline how tensions following the sex attacks had led to him being targeted by vigilantes. Ismael Wani, 35, said: 'I was walking to the shop with another man the other day when two cars stopped and six men hit out. 'They started to insult us, telling us to "f*** off back home'" and then they started to hit us with their fists. 'I got punched in the head.' He added: 'On Sunday when there was a crowd outside it was very frightening.' Mr Wani, from Kuwait, said plans had been put in place to bring more residents to the property. He said: 'It is a full house in the hotel right now. There must be 100 people staying there now. And they are trying to open up new rooms to provide more places for people to sleep.' On Tuesday morning, the hotel was seen daubed in graffiti. Slogans including 'Go Home', 'Die' and 'This Is England' had been sprayed onto two of the large front windows. At least one window in an annex building appeared to have been broken in the weekend disturbance, with a temporary plastic covering placed over the window frame. Police officers were seen talking to private security guards while workmen hastily erected a wood-panel fence around one side of the front of the property. The hotel accommodation is made up of a number of buildings - the historic front block which bears the iconic bell, a newly constructed red brick building and other buildings behind. All of the bedrooms have en-suite bathrooms with free toiletries and a sitting area. The hotel also has a sprawling garden and a library and self-service kitchen facilities. The hotel was built on the site of an ancient coaching inn where, according to legend, diarist Samuel Pepys stayed in 1663. It had previously hosted prestigious guests with Brian Clough's legendary Nottingham Forest team reportedly staying there ahead of matches against London clubs. It is not clear which private company operates the hotel on behalf of the Home Office but the property was bought by British businessman Hassanali Somani, for £2.97 million in May 2003. In 2011, Mr Somani, 64, who owns other hotels in Essex and Hertfordshire, applied for planning permission to turn the property into a 'luxury' care home for the elderly. Speaking in the wake of the unrest, Superintendent Tim Tubbs, of Essex Police, said: 'We respect everyone's right to protest, and we police without fear of favour - these are important fundamentals of our work when it comes to public order. 'We'll be working with all our partner agencies in the coming days to hear their thoughts and establish how we can provide the most effective police response for events like this in the future. 'As with all our policing of public events such as protests, we will review any body-worn video to ensure any offences are detected.' A Essex Police spokesperson added: 'We will not tolerate violent incidents of this nature. 'An extensive investigation is underway to identify those responsible, led by our detectives. 'Our investigation suggests the offences were racially aggravated. 'Anyone with information which could assist our enquiries is asked to get in touch. 'We are acutely aware and understand that emotions within the community are running high. 'However crime of any sort committed by anyone will not be tolerated. We continue to have a significant policing presence in the area to keep people safe.'

Asylum seeker ‘sexually assaulted girl' days after boat crossing
Asylum seeker ‘sexually assaulted girl' days after boat crossing

Times

time16 hours ago

  • Politics
  • Times

Asylum seeker ‘sexually assaulted girl' days after boat crossing

An asylum seeker has been accused of sexually assaulting a teenage girl eight days after he arrived in Britain on a boat, prompting a protest outside the hotel where he had been housed. Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, 38, from Ethiopia, appeared at Colchester magistrates' court last week charged with three counts of sexual assault, one of inciting a girl to engage in sexual activity and one of harassment without violence. He denies the charges, which relate to two teenagers and a woman. On Sunday evening a protest by about 300 people outside the Bell Hotel in Epping, Essex, descended into violence and police were forced to intervene when a fist fight broke out between two men. At least two people suffered injuries, but Essex police reported no arrests. Among those who attended the protest were well known far-right activists including Callum Barker, a former member of Patriotic Alternative who later left the neo-Nazi organisation to join the splinter group Homeland, according to Hope Not Hate. Julian Leppert, a former councillor for the For Britain Movement who in 2020 endorsed the idea of making Epping a white-only town, was also there. In the days leading up to the protest, both men had been active on a local Facebook group with nearly 30,000 members. • Inside the asylum hotels targeted by far right: 'I don't feel safe' People living near the hotel described the protest as 'intimidating'. One woman said she was accosted by a group of protesters with an XL bully dog as she walked home. After she asked them to bring the dog to heel, they began filming her, asking her whether she supported the migrants' right to live in the hotel and telling her that the migrants would abuse her and her daughter. 'I would much prefer it if the hotel was turned back to how it was before,' said the woman, who asked not to be named. 'But at the same time I've never had any problem with them, and I felt far more intimidated by those protesters than I ever have done by the migrants.' Kebatu appeared in court on Thursday, days after the alleged offences last Monday and Tuesday. Serena Berry, for the prosecution, told the 45-minute hearing that one of the alleged victims had been approached 'on a busy high street'. She said Kebatu had 'no ties to anyone or any place in the UK', adding: 'Immigration have confirmed he has only been in the UK since June 29.' Raphael Pigott, for the defence, said: 'I believe he is here as a refugee or asylum seeker, and that he arrived informally on a boat.' Kebatu was remanded in custody to appear at Chelmsford magistrates' court on Thursday. Following his arrest, Chris Whitbread, the leader of Epping Forest district council, wrote to the Home Office demanding that the hotel be shut down. A petition organised by Whitbread calling for the closure of the Bell, which has housed migrants since 2020, has received more than 4,500 signatures. 'We are also deeply concerned about rising community tensions,' the petition says. 'Epping Forest has a history of extreme far-right activity, including the presence of groups such as the Homeland Party and previously elected British National Party councillors. 'The government's inaction risks fuelling division and undermining community cohesion. Our community feels ignored and let down. Epping Forest has been forced to carry an unfair burden in the ongoing illegal immigration crisis.'

Angry mob launch 'racist attack' on staff starting shift at migrant hotel
Angry mob launch 'racist attack' on staff starting shift at migrant hotel

Metro

time20 hours ago

  • Metro

Angry mob launch 'racist attack' on staff starting shift at migrant hotel

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Authorities are investigating a 'racially motivated' attack against security staff at a migrant hotel after video of the bloodied workers went viral. A group of locals showed up outside the Bell Hotel in Epping to protest the housing of migrants there, after a resident of the hotel was charged with multiple crimes a week after arriving in the UK. Ethiopian man Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, 38, has been charged with three counts of sexual assault, one count of inciting a girl to engage in sexual activity, and one count of harassment without violence. Kebatu lives at the hotel and has since been remanded in custody after his hearing last week, but denies any wrongdoing. The crimes have enraged the local community, who met outside the hotel on Sunday, with counter-protesters from Waltham Forest Stand Up To Racism on the opposite side. But a video of the demonstrators attacking a man who was walking to work in the hotel has gone viral, prompting police to launch an investigation. A spokesperson from Essex Police told Metro no arrests have been made, but added: 'We are investigating the assault of two members of security staff working at The Bell Hotel, in Epping, and are treating the offences as racially aggravated. 'The assaults took place at a nearby bus stop in High Road, at around 8 pm on Sunday, July 13.' The two security guards had arrived to begin their shift and were set upon by a group of men. 'The two victims then managed to make their way past the protest into the hotel, where there was a significant policing presence, for safeguarding and to seek aid,' they added. 'Both victims have received hospital treatment for serious injuries, which are thankfully not life-threatening or life-changing. We will not tolerate violent incidents of this nature. 'An extensive investigation is underway to identify those responsible, led by our detectives. Our investigation suggests the offences were racially aggravated. We are acutely aware and understand that emotions within the community are running high. 'However, crime of any sort committed by anyone will not be tolerated. We continue to have a significant policing presence in the area to keep people safe.' Local community leaders are still raising concerns about the hotel. Chris Whitbread, the leader of Epping Forest District Council, said they warned the Home Office that the site was 'entirely inappropriate'. 'Placing vulnerable individuals from a wide range of cultural backgrounds into an unsupervised setting, in the centre of a small town, without the proper infrastructure, support or services, is both reckless and unacceptable,' he said. 'It puts pressure on local services, causes understandable concern for residents, and is unfair on those placed in the hotel. The Home Office must now face the reality of the situation.' Adam Brooks, who was at the protest, told Metro he didn't witness any violence, but did witness locals 'voicing their concerns and anger'. 'I had women tell me that they'd been flashed while walking their dogs, and many also say that they'd been harassed by men from the hotel,' he claimed. 'I had nothing to do with organising this or even knowing who did, I was there to report the protest, and if I'm honest, I was there as a worried local father. 'Violence is wrong under any circumstances. This isn't about skin colour, race or religion, it is about public safety, especially that of our children locally.' Adam said 12-15 counter protesters allegedly called the group 'far-right Nazi scum', which he says didn't help the already high tensions. More Trending The Bell Hotel declined to comment on the matter to Metro. Last year, similar scenes unfolded outside of a migrant hotel in Rotherham when far-right rioters attempted to break into the building in the aftermath of the Southport killings. In videos shared online, the mob was seen throwing bricks and chairs at officers with riot shields, before smashing windows and entering the building while chanting 'Yorkshire, Yorkshire'. Members of the mob, who waved Union flags and the St George's Cross, taunted police in the car park of the hotel. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Newly-married nurse killed in Southend plane crash was on her first day in job MORE: I was a typical 7-year-old – until the tanks rolled in MORE: Delays and diplomacy: Inside Starmer's migrant deal announcement with Macron

Epping asylum hotel must be shut after 'event'
Epping asylum hotel must be shut after 'event'

BBC News

time6 days ago

  • BBC News

Epping asylum hotel must be shut after 'event'

A man has been charged with three counts of sexual assault after an incident in a town were alerted to a "person acting inappropriately" in Epping, Essex, at about 17:20 BST on led to the leader of Epping Forest District Council calling for a hotel housing asylum seekers in the town to be shut Gerberslasie Kebatu, 38, of High Road, Epping, was due to appear before a court on Thursday. He also faced charges of inciting a girl to engage in sexual activity and harassment without Tim Tubbs said: "We're aware of a significant amount of public discussion around this case – and I understand that."Targeted police patrols would continue in the town due to concerns remaining among residents, he added. Whitbread thanked police for their "rapid and effective" response and urged people to avoid speculation."The events that took place in Epping on Tuesday are both deeply disturbing and extremely concerning," he local authority had "consistently and repeatedly" opposed the hotel being used to house asylum seekers, the council leader added: "It puts pressure on local services, causes understandable concern for residents, and is unfair on those placed in the hotel."The Home Office must now face the reality of the situation. Our warnings have been ignored for too long."The Home Office has been approached for a comment. Follow Essex news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.

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