Shopping cart
Your cart empty!
Asylum seeker accused of trying to kiss girl, 14, denies accusations and says 'I'm not a wild animal'
An asylum seeker has denied trying to kiss a 14-year-old girl and told a court: "I'm not a wild animal." On day two of his trial, Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu was asked if he tried to kiss the girl and gave the reply through an interpreter, adding: "I can't do these kind of things.
These are children, new generation." The court heard the 38-year-old told the girl he wanted her to go back to the Bell Hotel in Epping, Essex, where he was staying. Kebatu is accused of attempting to kiss the teenager, putting his hand on her thigh and brushing her hair last month.
He denies two counts of sexual assault, one count of attempted sexual assault, one count of inciting a girl to engage in sexual activity, and one count of harassment without violence. The alleged incident involving Kebatu sparked protests and counter-protests outside the hotel in Essex after similar protests were held outside hotels across the country housing asylum seekers.
On Wednesday, the trial at Colchester Magistrates' Court saw police interviews with male friends of the alleged victim being played to the court. One of the teenager's friends, a 14-year-old boy, said Kebatu was "staring at us the whole time.
Amir Nisi
Creative and experienced content writer with 6+ years of experience lazy to create unique content strategy for News5 to turn website visitors into customers.
Related to this topic:
AI and Marketing: Unlocking Customer Insights
Feb 22, 2024
