British judge sentences asylum-seeker to 12 months in prison as protests erupt across UK
Ethiopian national Kebatu convicted of five offenses, prompting demonstrations at hotels housing migrants
A British judge on Tuesday sentenced Ethiopian national Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, 41, to 12 months in prison after he was found guilty of five offenses, including sexual assault of a woman and a 14-year-old girl. The verdict and sentence occurred as demonstrations against migrants spread across the United Kingdom.
Prosecutors said Kebatu arrived in England by boat just over a week before the incidents in Epping, a town northeast of London. Court proceedings revealed that Kebatu approached the 14-year-old girl, attempted to kiss her and placed his hand on the girl’s thigh during the encounters in Epping. The allegations formed the core of the five offenses, which also included inciting a girl to engage in sexual activity and harassment.
The case spurred thousands of people to protest outside the Bell Hotel in Epping, where Kebatu was staying along with other newly arrived migrants. Demonstrations expanded to other cities and towns across the country, with some events attended by far-right activists. The protests underscored longstanding tensions over the government’s policy of housing recent arrivals in hotels while their asylum requests are processed.
District Judge Christopher Williams told Kebatu that he “couldn’t have anticipated” the outcome of his actions would ignite mass protests. “You couldn’t have anticipated that your offending behavior as an asylum-seeker housed at the Bell Hotel would cause such a response from the public,” Williams said. He added that the protests were significant “in Epping, but also across the U.K. resulting in mass demonstrations and fear that children in the U.K. are not safe.”
The sentencing comes amid broader political and social debate over the use of hotels to shelter migrants awaiting asylum decisions. Critics say the approach costs taxpayers millions of pounds and can become flashpoints in communities, while migrants argue that hostility and scrutiny can escalate tensions between residents and newcomers. The Kebatu case has fed into those discussions as communities weigh security, resources, and the treatment of people seeking refuge in the country.