An asylum seeker who sexually assaulted a woman and a 14-year-old girl, sparking protests outside an Epping hotel, is set to be deported after being jailed. Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, 38, was sentenced to 12 months in prison on Tuesday for five offences, including sexual assault and inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.
Kebatu committed the crimes days after arriving in the UK on a small boat. The Bell Hotel resident's behaviour in July led to protests and counter-protests in Epping, which then spread to other hotels housing asylum seekers across the country. At his sentencing, District Judge Christopher Williams said Kebatu's shame and remorse were not for the offences but for their impact, noting he 'couldn't have anticipated' the public response.
Under the UK Borders Act 2007, a deportation order must be made for foreign nationals convicted of an offence and given a custodial sentence of at least 12 months. The Home Office has said it will seek to deport Kebatu to Ethiopia, a country to which deportations regularly take place. A Home Office spokeswoman stated: 'When foreign nationals commit serious crimes in our country, we will always do everything in our power to deport them.'
During the trial at Chelmsford and Colchester Magistrates' Court, the court heard Kebatu told two teenagers he wanted to 'have a baby with each of them' and attempted to kiss them. He also sexually assaulted a woman by trying to kiss her and putting his hand on her leg. The judge found him 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.
In a victim impact statement, the 14-year-old girl said she now 'checks over her shoulder' when out with friends. The adult victim said Kebatu 'did not even appear to know that what he's done was wrong'. Kebatu's lawyer said it was his 'firm wish' to be deported, and the judge noted he told a probation officer he was 'aware of the unrest that (the) offending had caused' and that 'other law-abiding asylum seekers were impacted'.
