A migrant sexually assaulted a 14-year-old girl just eight days after he arrived in Britain on a small boat, a court heard.
Ethiopian national Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, aged 38, allegedly placed his hand on a schoolgirl’s thigh, attempted to kiss her, and expressed his desire to have a child with her, as reported in Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court.
He faces charges of inciting the girl to partake in sexual activities and is further accused of sexually assaulting a woman who intervened to assist the girl during a subsequent encounter the next day.
Mr. Kebatu’s arrest on July 8 led to a significant anti-migrant protest in Epping and motivated the local council to seek an injunction to close the town’s Bell Hotel, which was housing him and other migrants.
Prosecutor Stuart Cowen stated: ‘Multiple witnesses will testify that on July 7, the defendant was in Epping. The complainant, a 14-year-old girl, will testify that she and her friends were sitting on a bench eating pizza when the defendant approached them, appearing hungry.
‘They offered him some pizza, which he accepted. He then sat beside the girl and, unprompted, started making inappropriate remarks to her and her peers.
Court sketch of Mr Kebatu from his trial on August 26, 2025
Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu is accused of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl just eight days after he arrived in Britain on a small boat
Councillors in Epping won an injunction to shut down the Bell Hotel, where migrants including Mr Kebatu were housed
The hotel had become a hotbed for anti-immigration protests, with many concerned that migrants were committing crime in the local community
After the injunction was granted last week, protestors held a demonstration outside London’s High Court
‘He mentioned wanting to have a child with the girl and tried to kiss her. He also invited the group to the Bell Hotel, where he resided after having recently arrived in the UK.
‘His advances were rejected and it was made clear to him that the girl and her friend were 14 years of age. His response was that “age did not matter”.’
The court heard the girl and her friends then got up and walked to Tesco, with Mr Kebatu following them.
‘There was no actual sexual assault on that date, but the Crown will say the attempted sexual assault was the attempt to kiss her,’ said Mr Cowen.
‘On July 8, the defendant saw the girl and her friends on the bench and approached them, and the same kind of behaviour was repeated. Unlike the previous day, the girl was wearing her school uniform.
‘Similar advances were made and rejected. Such was the girl’s discomfort that a boy came and sat between the girl and the defendant
‘The defendant then tried to get the girl to kiss the boy. She didn’t want to do this because he is a friend only, but in an attempt to discourage the defendant, she kissed the boy on the cheek.
‘She will tell the court that while this was happening, the defendant appeared to be sexually aroused.’
The court heard a woman saw what was happening and tried to intervene – but Mr Kebatu sexually assaulted her by putting his hand on her leg and trying to kiss her.
The woman went to a nearby fish and chip shop to get some paper so she could take the girls’ details, but when she returned she saw the defendant putting his hand on the girl’s thigh, the court heard.
Mr Cowen said: ‘The woman was angry and confronted the defendant, saying she would call the police. He then ran off and she pursued him.
‘We will see footage in which he was apologising, and gets on his knees as if to beg.
‘As a result of her call, the police attended and Mr Kebatu was arrested. He was interviewed on July 9 and gave a prepared statement in which he denied any appropriate behaviour.’
He added: ‘This case has attracted a lot of publicity as a result of the defendant’s personal circumstances, however the case must be judged fairly on the evidence.’
Mr Kebatu glared at the prosecutor from the dock and occasionally shook his head during the hearing.
Giving evidence by video link, the girl said: ‘Out of nowhere he said I want a baby with you, and with your friend. He tried kissing me multiple times so we decided to leave.
‘The next day he came and sat next to us again and said, “I want a baby from you, we could make lovely Jamaican babies.”
‘I was like, I’m 14, this is really weird. But he said, “Age doesn’t matter.”
‘He kept on talking about having babies with me and trying to kiss me. I was in shock thinking, “What are you doing?”
‘I didn’t want to argue too much in case things escalated.’
She added that when the man touched her thigh, her ‘mind just went blank’ because she was ‘totally shocked’.
When the girl first appeared on the video link, a man in the public gallery – believed to be a member of the girl’s family – pointed at Mr Kebatu and said: ‘Don’t f****** look at her.’
Last week, Epping Forest District Council was granted a High Court injunction to shut it down.
A second man who was staying at the site, Syrian migrant Mohammed Sharwarq, has also been charged with sexual assault, which he denies. Two weeks ago, he admitted six charges of common assault.
Several other men have been charged over alleged disorder outside the hotel.
Mr Kebatu’s trial at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court continues.
