‘Manipulative’ asylum seeker at centre of Epping hotel protests jailed for sexually assaulting girl
Man jailed for sex assaults that sparked asylum hotel protests
- Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, an Ethiopian asylum seeker, has been jailed for 12 months for sexually assaulting a woman and a 14-year-old girl in Essex.
- Kebatu, 38, who arrived in the UK on a small boat days before the incidents, was found guilty of five offences, including sexual assault and attempted sexual assault.
- The judge described Kebatu as "manipulative" and posing a "significant risk of reoffending", noting his lack of genuine remorse for the crimes.
- The incidents, which occurred in July, sparked widespread protests outside asylum hotels across the UK, including in Epping.
- Kebatu, who attempted to take his own life while on remand, expressed a "firm wish" to be deported as soon as possible.