UK: Asylum seeker found guilty of sexually assaulting teenager – protests erupt

An Ethiopian asylum seeker whose arrest in July sparked angry protests outside the hotel where he and other migrants were staying was found guilty on Thursday of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl and another woman.

The protests outside the Bell Hotel in Epping, about 30 kilometers north of London, sparked a series of demonstrations across the country amid growing tensions over migration and public concerns about the potential dangers posed by thousands of young men coming to the UK.

Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, 38, was found guilty by Chelmsford Magistrates' Court of sexually harassing a 14-year-old girl and a woman, attempting to sexually coerce the girl, inciting her to perform a sexual act, and one count of harassment.

(reuters, est)