In the quiet market town of Epping, Essex, a storm has been brewing for months—one that’s brought the issue of asylum seeker accommodation, public safety, and national immigration policy into sharp, often painful, focus. The recent conviction of Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, a 38-year-old Ethiopian asylum seeker, for sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl and another woman, has become the flashpoint at the heart of this national debate, sparking protests, political outrage, and a high-stakes legal battle over the future of The Bell Hotel and similar sites across the country.
The saga began in early July 2025, just days after Kebatu arrived in the UK by small boat and was placed at The Bell Hotel in Epping—one of the more than 32,000 migrants housed in hotels across Britain, according to government figures up to the end of June. On July 7, a 14-year-old girl, seeing Kebatu looking hungry, offered him pizza. What followed was a series of disturbing events that would soon grip the local community and draw national attention. According to evidence presented at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court, Kebatu tried to kiss the girl, put his hand on her thigh, and made comments like, “I want a baby with you and your friend.” He then invited the teenagers back to the hotel. The next day, he saw the girl again—this time in her school uniform—and attempted to kiss her once more. The girl later told police she was terrified and “froze” during the assault, responding, “No, I’m 14,” when Kebatu approached her again. His reply, as reported in court, was chilling: “No, no, it doesn’t matter, you could come back to the Bell Hotel with me.”
But the ordeal didn’t end there. On July 8, Kebatu also sexually assaulted an adult woman who had offered to help him with his CV. She described feeling “shocked” and “uncomfortable” as he put his hand on her leg and tried to kiss her, telling her she was “pretty.” When she confronted him for speaking to a young schoolgirl, he initially fled but was soon apprehended near the hotel while she was on the phone with the police. Footage from the arrest showed Kebatu tearful and kneeling beside a police car. Throughout his trial, Kebatu denied all charges, insisting, “I am not a wild animal,” and claiming that the woman had given him her phone number and invited him to her house. Nevertheless, District Judge Christopher Williams found the girl’s testimony consistent and convincing, stating he was not persuaded that she—or any other witnesses—had fabricated their accounts. After a three-day trial, the verdict was swift: Kebatu was found 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.
The case quickly became a rallying point for local anger and national debate. As Rebecca Mundy, Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor with CPS East of England, put it, “This was an incident which became a cause of deep concern for the local community.” Essex Police Assistant Chief Constable Stuart Hooper praised the bravery of the victims and witnesses, noting, “It is because of their accounts of what happened, and the close co-operation with our Crown Prosecution Service colleagues, that we have been able to secure this conviction.”
But the legal and political ramifications were just beginning. Kebatu’s arrest and subsequent conviction ignited a wave of protests outside The Bell Hotel—sometimes peaceful, often heated, and occasionally violent. Since July 13, thousands have demonstrated, with police making 32 arrests and charging 21 people in connection with disorderly conduct. The unrest in Epping soon inspired similar demonstrations outside asylum hotels across the country, underscoring the deep divisions in British society over immigration and public safety. As reported by Reuters, immigration has become the dominant political issue in Britain, even surpassing concerns over the faltering economy.
Local authorities were quick to act. Epping Forest District Council, led by Conservative Chris Whitbread, secured a temporary injunction in August 2025 to block The Bell Hotel from housing asylum seekers, arguing that the hotel’s owners, Somani Hotels, had breached planning rules by not disclosing their plans. Yet the Court of Appeal overturned this injunction, warning that allowing such challenges could encourage other councils to do the same and potentially overwhelm the national asylum system. Undeterred, the council announced on September 4 that it would appeal directly to the Supreme Court, insisting, “It is in no one’s interest to delay the legal process. The sooner we get to a full resolution, the better.” A full High Court hearing is scheduled for October 15, and the outcome could set a precedent for how local governments interact with national policy on asylum accommodation.
The political fallout has been swift and fierce. Katie Lam, the shadow home office minister, minced no words in her criticism: “The crimes of this illegal migrant are shocking and heartbreaking and the victims have shown incredible bravery. This case shows the very real risks of housing illegal migrants in hotels and allowing them to roam around communities freely. This must never be allowed to happen again. Every illegal migrant should be detained immediately and swiftly deported. Anything less leaves vulnerable people at risk, betrays public trust, and sends entirely the wrong message about how seriously Britain takes border security.” Opposition politicians have also accused Prime Minister Keir Starmer of prioritizing migrant rights over those of local communities, a charge that has further inflamed tensions.
Meanwhile, the government has pledged to end the practice of housing migrants in hotels by the next general election, due in 2029. For now, though, the situation remains fraught. As the case of The Bell Hotel shows, the intersection of public safety, immigration, and local governance is anything but simple. The legal battles, community protests, and political debates unfolding in Epping are emblematic of a country wrestling with how to balance compassion, security, and the rule of law in an era of record asylum claims and rising social anxiety.
As the town awaits the Supreme Court’s decision and the government’s next move, one thing is clear: the events in Epping have become a national mirror, reflecting both the challenges and the passions that define Britain’s ongoing debate over immigration and community safety.
