Asylum hotel resident faces jail for sex assaults

AN ASYLUM seeker hotel resident has been found guilty of sexually assaulting a woman and a 14-year-old girl days after arriving in the UK on a small boat.

- JOSH PAYNE & SAM RUSSELLE

Ethiopian national Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu's behaviour in July sparked protests and counter-protests in Epping, Essex, and further demonstrations outside hotels housing asylum seekers across the country.

His three-day trial heard he had 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.

The defendant 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.

District judge Christopher Williams took just 30 minutes to return his guilty verdicts and his reasoning at Chelmsford Magistrates' Court yesterday.

Kebatu, who was a “teacher of sports” in his home country, denied all charges against him - telling the court he is “not a wild animal”.