Epping asylum hotel case: Court hears man told 14-year-old he wanted a baby, protests follow

What the court heard

A routine late-afternoon encounter on a street in Epping is now at the centre of a high-profile court case that has pulled a small Essex town into a national argument over asylum accommodation and public safety.

At Chelmsford Magistrates' Court, prosecutors said 38-year-old Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, an asylum seeker living at the former Bell Hotel, approached two teenage girls on July 7. One of the girls, 14, had just offered him a slice of pizza because he looked hungry. What followed, the court heard, were comments that left the teenagers frightened and a community on edge.

Prosecutor Stuart Cowen told the court Kebatu made sexual remarks without any encouragement, allegedly saying he wanted to have a baby with each of the girls. The 14-year-old told police she said, "No, I'm 14," and froze. According to the prosecution, Kebatu replied, "No, no, it doesn't matter, you could come back to the Bell Hotel with me," before attempting to kiss her.

The following day, July 8, he is said to have approached them again, put his hand on one girl's thigh, and tried once more to kiss her. The teenager described feeling "really creeped out" and pulling away. Prosecutors say invitations to return to the hotel were repeated.

Kebatu denies the allegations. He has not entered a plea to any sexual offence in open court at this stage, and his legal team has not set out a full defence in public. He is due to stand trial. The magistrates were told the case has drawn unusual attention because of the defendant’s personal circumstances and the location involved.

The Bell Hotel—long a familiar landmark near Epping High Street—has been used as short-term accommodation for asylum seekers. It operated in that role from October 2022 to April 2024 without incident, then resumed housing people in early April 2025. Kebatu had recently arrived in the UK and was living there at the time of the alleged encounter.

Key timeline, as outlined in court and by local authorities:

• July 7: First approach to the teenagers; alleged comments about having a baby and an attempted kiss.
• July 8: Second approach; alleged touching of a thigh and another attempted kiss.
• Following days: News of the complaint spreads, and protests gather outside the hotel.

No verdict has been reached. The allegations are contested and will be tested at trial.

Protests, politics and a shuttered hotel

What began as a police investigation quickly swelled into street politics. Protests formed outside the Bell Hotel, with crowds at times numbering in the thousands, chanting "save our kids" and "send them home." Anti-racism groups organised counter-protests in response, arguing against collective blame and urging calm.

The demonstrations started peacefully, but tensions spiked. Police made at least nine arrests after disorder broke out around the site. Officers confirmed that several men have since been charged over the protest-related offences, while inquiries continue into other incidents linked to the unrest.

Epping Forest District Council said the level of disruption outside the hotel was unprecedented for the area. Seeking to restore order and relieve pressure on local services and police, the council went to the High Court. It obtained an order requiring the Bell Hotel to stop housing asylum seekers by September 12.

That decision drew sharp reactions on both sides. Critics saw it as punishing vulnerable people because of the actions of a few. Supporters argued the hotel had become a flashpoint and that removing the site from the equation was the fastest way to cool tempers and protect residents.

This story lands in the middle of a broader fight over how the UK accommodates people seeking refuge. The Home Office has relied on hotels as a stopgap while claims are processed and permanent placements are found. That approach has stirred political arguments and community tensions, especially in towns where one property suddenly becomes a focal point for fear, anger, or misinformation.

Locally, the Bell Hotel is now a symbol of those pressures. It served asylum seekers for 18 months from late 2022 without notable incident, then again from spring 2025, before the current case blew it into the headlines. Residents I’ve spoken to describe mixed feelings—compassion for people fleeing danger, but also anxiety triggered by rumour and sporadic disorder when protests swell.

Police have urged the public not to take matters into their own hands and to allow the courts to do their job. Officers say they are maintaining a visible presence around the site and will act on any offences, whether linked to the original allegation or to protest activity. They also stress that one allegation—disputed as it is—should not be used to target an entire group of people living in temporary accommodation.

The legal process now moves forward. Kebatu remains presumed innocent unless proven guilty. If the case proceeds to trial at a higher court, jurors will hear the evidence and decide what happened on those July evenings.

Meanwhile, the clock is running on the High Court order. By September 12, the Bell Hotel must cease operating as an asylum site. That will require relocating the residents staying there—another logistical test for local services and central government. For Epping, it may cool the street clashes but won’t resolve the bigger national debate about how, where, and for how long asylum seekers should be housed while they await decisions.

For now, all eyes are on the next court date and the future of the Epping asylum hotel. A case that began with a slice of pizza and a frightening allegation has spiralled into a town-wide standoff over safety, decency, and what kind of community Epping wants to be when the cameras move on.