Asylum seeker hotel resident jailed for 12 months for sexual assault of girl, 14

An asylum seeker has been jailed for 12 months for sexually assaulting a woman and a 14-year-old girl in days after arriving in the UK on a small boat.

Ethiopian national Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu was found guilty of five offences following a three-day trial at Chelmsford and Colchester magistrates’ courts.

On Tuesday, a judge told the 38-year-old his behaviour “really highlights the poor regard you must have for women” adding that he was “feeling sorry for yourself, knowing you were well and truly caught.”

At his sentencing hearing on Tuesday, the defendant’s lawyer Molly Dyas said it is Kebatu’s “firm wish” to be deported – a view he held “before the trial”.

Prosecutor Stuart Cowen said Kebatu had told the author of a pre-sentence report that “because of the situation, Epping is in chaos and he had got a lot of migrants in trouble”.

The 38-year-old told two teenagers he wanted to “have a baby with each of them” and attempted to kiss them, before going on to put his hand on one of the girls’ thighs and stroke her hair, his trial was told.

The defendant, who was a “teacher of sports” in his home country, was also found to have sexually assaulted a woman by trying to kiss her, putting his hand on her leg and telling her she was pretty.

The Bell Hotel resident’s behaviour in July led to protesters and counter-protesters taking to the streets in Epping, Essex, and eventually outside hotels housing asylum seekers across the country.

Speaking about what was said in the pre-sentence report, Mr Cowen said: “The word manipulative is used within the report.

“There’s also comments made by Mr Kebatu when he stated he didn’t know the UK was so strict even though he knew the Ethiopian age of consent was 18.”

Mr Cowen continued: “He said because of the situation Epping is in chaos and he had got a lot of migrants in trouble.”

Statements from both victims were read to the court by the prosecutor, 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.”

The girl added: “Seeing the bench (where the sexual assault took place) reminds me of everything that happened.

“I’m aware there have been protests because of what has happened – I’m lucky that I was not in the country when that happened.”

The adult member of the public who was sexually assaulted by Kebatu said the defendant “did not even appear to know that what he’s done was wrong”.

In her victim personal statement, the woman, who also cannot be named for legal reasons, said: “Since the incident, I feel both angered and frustrated.

“He did not even appear to know that what he’s done was wrong.

“The incident has left me feeling worried to leave my house. I think about this incident most nights before bed.”

District Judge Christopher Williams found Kebatu guilty of two counts of sexual assault, one count of attempted sexual assault, one count of inciting a girl to engage in sexual activity and one count of harassment without violence.