Ethiopian Asylum Seeker Jailed for Assaulting Teen in UK

• Sep 23, 2025

An Ethiopian asylum seeker, Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, has been sentenced to 12 months in prison after being found guilty of sexually assaulting a teenage girl and another woman in Essex, United Kingdom.

Kebatu’s arrest in July sparked angry protests outside the Bell Hotel in Epping, where he and other migrants were housed. The unrest quickly spread to other parts of the country, adding to nationwide tensions over immigration and asylum policies.

Earlier this month, Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court convicted Kebatu of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl and a woman, attempting to assault the teenager, inciting her to engage in sexual activity, and harassment. During the trial, he denied the allegations, telling the court he was “not a wild animal.”

The court, however, concluded that the evidence proved his guilt. Judge Christopher Williams, while handing down the sentence, said Kebatu’s actions had not only harmed his victims but also contributed to widespread unrest. “Your behaviour resulted in mass demonstrations and the fear that children in the United Kingdom are not safe,” the judge remarked.

Kebatu admitted during proceedings that he was aware his conduct had sparked consequences beyond the immediate offences, noting that other asylum seekers who were following the law had been unfairly affected.

He had arrived in Britain by crossing the Channel in a small boat and was relocated to the Bell Hotel just a week before the assaults occurred. His case has since been cited in public debates about the asylum system, which has become a major political issue in the UK.

Immigration pressures have grown significantly in recent years, with record numbers of Channel crossings and asylum claims dominating headlines. Official government data shows that as of June, more than 32,000 migrants were being accommodated in hotels across the country. Ministers have vowed to end the use of hotels for housing asylum seekers before the next general election scheduled for 2029.

The sentencing of Kebatu highlights both the criminal case itself and the broader tensions surrounding immigration in the UK, with the incident becoming part of a larger national conversation on asylum and public safety.