Essex hotel must stop housing asylum seekers after High Court ruling

On Tuesday, a High Court judge ruled the former Bell Hotel in Epping must stop housing asylum seekers by September 12.

The hotel has been at the centre of a series of protests in recent weeks after an asylum seeker who was staying there was charged with sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl.

Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu has denied the charges against him and is due to stand trial later this month.

Epping Forest District Council had asked a judge to issue an interim injunction stopping migrants from being accommodated at the Bell Hotel, which opened to accommodate asylum seekers five years ago.  

Ruling - The Bell Hotel must stop housing asylum seekers by September 12 (Image: Robert White, PA) Lawyers for the Home Office had warned the court that an injunction “runs the risk of acting as an impetus for further violent protests” and would “substantially interfere” with the Home Office’s statutory duty in potentially avoiding a breach of the asylum seekers’ human rights.

Lawyers representing the hotel’s owner argued the ruling would set a precedent.

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, MP for Clacton, indicated 12 councils where Reform UK was the largest party would consider legal challenges following the ruling.

Writing in the Daily Telegraph, Mr Farage said the local authorities would do “everything in their power to follow Epping’s lead”.

Mr Farage added: “The good people of Epping must inspire similar protests around Britain.

“Wherever people are concerned about the threat posed by young undocumented males living in local hotels and who are free to walk their streets, they should follow the example of the town in Essex.”

Essex Police arrested 16 people after a protest outside the Bell Hotel on July 17.

Officers said the protest began peacefully but escalated into what they described as “scattered acts of violence” targeting police and property.

Eight officers were injured and a number of police vehicles were damaged as missiles were thrown.  

Protests - Officers described 'scattered acts of violence' from a small group of people at a protest (Image: Ben Whitley, PA) Essex Police enforced legislation banning face coverings at the following protests and designated areas where people could “lawfully make their voices heard”.

Mr Justice Eyre granted the temporary injunction but extended the time limit by which the hotel must stop housing asylum seekers to September 12.

He also refused to give Somani Hotels Limited, the hotel’s owner, the green light to challenge his ruling, but the company could still ask the Court of Appeal for the go-ahead to appeal against the judgement.

Boarder security minister Dame Angela Eagle said the government will “continue working with local authorities and communities to address legitimate concerns”.

She added: “Our work continues to close all asylum hotels by the end of this Parliament.”