On a day when the eyes of Epping, Essex, were already fixed on the Bell Hotel for all the wrong reasons, a new chapter in the troubled story of the town’s asylum accommodation unfolded. Mohammed Sharwarq, a 32-year-old migrant who arrived in the UK by small boat, was sentenced to 16 weeks in prison after a series of violent outbursts against staff and fellow residents at the Bell Hotel. The sentencing, delivered at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court on September 30, 2025, drew renewed attention to the already controversial site, which had recently made headlines as the epicenter of anti-migrant protests following unrelated sexual assault convictions involving another asylum seeker.
According to BBC and corroborated by multiple sources, Sharwarq’s assaults took place over several weeks, between July 25 and August 12, 2025. The court heard that Sharwarq, who had been housed at the Bell Hotel after arriving in the UK in hopes of finding work, attacked four men: a cleaner, a head chef, and two other residents. On August 12, the violence escalated. Prosecutor Terence Newman described how Sharwarq knocked a fellow resident to the floor in a one-punch attack, leaving him bleeding from a cut to the jawline. In the hotel canteen, Sharwarq then struck a cleaner on the arm—causing no injury—before hurling a banana at him, hitting him on the back of the head. Not stopping there, he slapped another resident in the lobby and approached the head chef, grabbing him and attempting to punch him in the face. The situation reached a fever pitch when Sharwarq armed himself with a chair, prompting staff to restrain him until the police arrived.
These incidents were not isolated. The court learned that Sharwarq had previously slapped, kicked, and charged at another resident on several occasions between July 25 and 26. District Judge Lynette Woodrow noted that at the time of the attacks, Sharwarq was already on bail for an alleged affray at another asylum hotel in Gloucestershire—an indication that his struggles were not confined to one location.
The details of Sharwarq’s journey to the UK add complexity to the story. His barrister, Paul Baker, painted a picture of a man deeply affected by trauma. Fleeing the Syrian war in 2011—a conflict that claimed countless lives and forced millions to seek safety abroad—Sharwarq first found refuge in Turkey and then Germany, where he worked as an engineer specializing in electronics and cars. However, his settled status in Germany was revoked due to an incident not disclosed in court, forcing him to continue his search for stability. After arriving in the UK by boat, Sharwarq was placed in the Gloucestershire hotel before being moved to Epping’s Bell Hotel, where he had been living for about a month before the attacks.
“There were a lot of deaths and atrocities committed in this time,” Baker told the court, referencing the trauma of Sharwarq’s flight from Syria. He suggested that the defendant’s actions stemmed from a "breakdown" brought on by years of accumulated stress and, most recently, the death of his mother. "I suspect he’s had some kind of breakdown as a result of the stress he’s been under for the last 13 to 14 years and the death of his mother was the final straw," Baker explained, as reported by The Sun.
When questioned by Judge Woodrow, Sharwarq himself attributed his actions to a combination of boredom and low morale. The judge recounted, “You said ‘I was bored and mood and morale not well.’” The court heard that Sharwarq had signed paperwork to facilitate his voluntary resettlement to Syria, despite the ongoing violence in his homeland. Baker stated, “Despite the atrocities going on there, despite the people going missing, he wants to return back to Syria. He’s had enough.”
Sharwarq admitted four charges of assault by beating and two counts of common assault. A charge of sexual assault—stemming from an alleged incident involving a kiss on another man’s neck—was dropped by prosecutors at the start of the hearing. As part of his sentence, Judge Woodrow ordered Sharwarq to pay £700 in compensation, split among three victims: £300 to the resident he assaulted multiple times, and £200 each to the two staff members. He was also ordered to pay £85 in prosecution costs and a £154 victim surcharge.
The backdrop to Sharwarq’s case is a town already on edge. The Bell Hotel had recently become the focal point for anti-migrant protests after another asylum seeker, Ethiopian national Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, was convicted of sexual assaults on a woman and a 14-year-old girl. Kebatu, who also arrived in the UK by small boat, was jailed for 12 months at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court earlier in September. The Home Office has announced plans to deport Kebatu following his conviction—a move that has only intensified the political and public debate over asylum policy and the management of migrant accommodation.
The Bell Hotel’s notoriety has made it a flashpoint for national discussions about the UK’s handling of asylum seekers, particularly those housed in hotels while their claims are processed. For local residents, the recent string of crimes has stoked fears and frustrations, fueling protests and calls for stricter controls. For others, the cases of Sharwarq and Kebatu highlight the vulnerabilities and traumas faced by those fleeing war and persecution—reminding the public that behind every headline is a human story, often marked by loss, dislocation, and desperation.
Judge Woodrow, in her sentencing remarks, described Sharwarq’s offences as “a series of escalating assaults against the same person,” culminating in multiple attacks on August 12. She emphasized the seriousness of the crimes but also acknowledged the context in which they occurred. Sharwarq, for his part, bowed his head in court and, through an interpreter, sought clarification on how long he would spend in prison before being led away to begin his sentence.
As the Bell Hotel remains under scrutiny, Sharwarq’s case serves as a stark reminder of the challenges facing both asylum seekers and the communities that host them. The intersection of trauma, mental health, and public safety is never simple—and for Epping, the story is far from over.
