Boat migrant charged with sex attacks days after arrival

Ethiopian asylum seeker accused of multiple sex offences in Essex justi days after landing illegally by dinghy—UK officials confirm zero ties or lawful status.

An Ethiopian migrant who crossed the Channel by small boat just over a week before his court appearance has been charged with three counts of sexual assault, one count of inciting a girl to engage in sexual activity, and one count of harassment without violence, all alleged to have been committed over a two‑day period in Essex, prosecutors told the court .

Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, 38, formerly of the Bell Hotel in Epping, appeared before Colchester Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, where he was formally charged with three counts of sexual assault, one count of inciting a girl to engage in sexual activity, and one count of harassment without violence.

The alleged offences are said to have taken place between Monday 7 and Tuesday 8 July in Epping, a market town on the edge of the London commuter belt. Prosecutors confirmed the defendant had no known links, contacts or ties to any person or address within the United Kingdom.

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The court was told that Kebatu had arrived on British soil on 29 June 2025, part of a wave of irregular arrivals recorded by the Home Office that day. A total of 585 migrants were said to have reached the south coast in eight dinghies, with Kebatu understood to be among them. He has since claimed asylum, although his immigration status remains under review.

District Judge Christopher Williams remanded the defendant in custody, ordering that he be tried within 56 days. The case is now expected to proceed to trial later this summer.

Raphael Pigott, defending, told the court: “I believe he is here as a refugee or asylum seeker, and that he arrived informally on a boat.” The Crown did not contest this assertion, but highlighted the extremely short time frame between Kebatu’s entry into the country and the alleged offences.

Essex Police confirmed officers were first alerted at approximately 5.20pm on Tuesday 8 July, following reports of a man behaving inappropriately on High Road, Epping. A suspect was arrested at the scene within minutes. Subsequent inquiries, police said, led to the identification of further offences which had occurred on the previous day but had not been reported at the time.