Ethiopian migrant did molest teen, court rules

An Ethiopian asylum seeker, whose arrest in July sparked angry protests outside the hotel near London where he and other migrants were being housed, was found guilty Thursday of sexually assaulting a teenage girl and another woman.

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The protests outside the Bell Hotel in Epping, about 30 kilometres north of the British capital, became a touchpaper for a string of countrywide demonstrations amid rising tensions over immigration.

Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu was convicted at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl and a woman, attempting to sexually assault the girl, inciting her to engage in sexual activity and one count of harassment.

“This was an incident which became a cause of deep concern for the local community,” said Rebecca Mundy, a prosecutor in the case.