Epping hotel asylum seeker jailed after sexually assaulting woman and 14-year-old girl

An asylum seeker has been sentenced to 12 months in prison after sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl and a woman in Epping.

Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, 41, had been staying at The Bell Hotel in the Essex town, with the incident fuelling weeks of protests at the site.

The Ethiopian national was found guilty of two counts of sexual assault, attempted sexual assault, inciting a girl to engage in sexual activity and harassment without violence earlier this month.

It is understood the Home Office will seek to deport Kebatu following his prison sentence.

Kebatu's lawyer, Molly Dyas, told Chelmsford Magistrates' Court on Tuesday he wanted to be deported, calling it his "firm wish" and a view he held "before the trial".

Under the UK Borders Act 2007, a deportation order must be made where a foreign national has been convicted of an offence and received a custodial sentence of at least 12 months.

Handing sentence, district judge Christopher Williams said the asylum seeker posed a "significant risk of reoffending".

He also told the court that Kebatu "couldn't have anticipated" his offending "would cause such a response from the public".

"Particularly in Epping," the judge said, "but also across the UK, resulting in mass demonstrations and fear that children in the UK are not safe.

"It's evident to me that your shame and remorse isn't because of the offences you've committed but because of the impact they've had."

Kebatu bowed his head to the judge before he was led to the cells.

Chelmsford Magistrates' Court was told Kebatu had tried to kiss the teenager, put his hand on her thigh and brushed her hair after she offered him pizza.

The asylum seeker also told the girl and her friend he wanted to have a baby with them and invited them back to the hotel.

The incident happened on 7 July, about a week after he arrived in the UK on a boat.

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The girl later told police she "froze" and got "really creeped out", telling him: "No, I'm 14."

Kebatu was also found guilty of sexually assaulting a woman - putting his hand on her thigh and trying to kiss her - when she tried to intervene after seeing him talking to the girl again the following day.

He denied all the charges but was convicted earlier this month.

Kebatu knew 'Epping is in chaos' over actions

Prosecutor Stuart Cowen, discussing a pre-sentence report, said Kebatu admitted "he didn't know the UK was so strict, even though he knew the Ethiopian age of consent was 18".

Kebatu understood that "Epping is in chaos" because of what he did and that he "had got a lot of migrants in trouble", Mr Cowen said.

He added that the asylum seeker "felt very sad and felt a lot of remorse", but added: "The word manipulative is used within the report."

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Victim: Wearing skirt 'makes me feel vulnerable'

Mr Cowen also read statements from both victims, with the 14-year-old girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, saying she is now "checking over my shoulder" when she is out with friends.

She said she prepared the statement "so that the man who did this to me understands what he has done to me - a 14-year-old girl".

She continued: "Every time I go out with my friends, I'm checking over my shoulder.

"Wearing a skirt now makes me feel vulnerable and exposed. Seeing the bench [where the sexual assault took place] reminds me of everything that happened."

The adult woman who was sexually assaulted by Kebatu and who also cannot be named for legal reasons, said: "Since the incident, I feel both angered and frustrated.

"He [Kebatu] did not even appear to know that what he's done was wrong."

(c) Sky News 2025: Epping hotel asylum seeker jailed after sexually assaulting woman and 14-year-old girl