A resident of a hotel for migrants in
Eping has gone on trial for allegedly
trying to kiss a 14-year-old girl as she
ate a pizza. Chsford Magistrate's court
heard Hades Gabbasi Kabatu made
inappropriate comments to the girl and
her female friend and invited them back
to the Bell Hotel where he was staying
having recently arrived in the UK. He
denies the charges against him. Neil
Connory is at the court where some
distressing evidence was heard. Neil,
take us through what happened there.
Yes, Hades Kabatu, as you say, is 38,
appearing before Chelmsford Magistrate's
Court this morning. The court heard that
he was a resident of the Bell Hotel in
Eping, who had recently arrived in the
UK. Now, it's alleged he attempted to
kiss a 14-year-old girl on a bench with
her friends. She had offered him some
pizza. Stuart Cowan, who's prosecuting,
said Mr. Kabatu made inappropriate
comments to the girl and her friend,
saying he wanted to have a baby with
each of them and he attempted to kiss
them. Now, one of his two alleged
victims became emotional as she gave
evidence in a recorded video statement
played to the court. The 14-year-old
said the man said, "Come back to the
hotel with me and have sex." Now, this
was the following day when it's claimed
he also made inappropriate comments and
touched the girl who was wearing her
school uniform on the thigh. The court
heard that he sexually assaulted a woman
who had come to help the girls who in
turn called police. Mr. Kabatu denies
all the charges and the trial continues.
>> And Neil, in a separate hearing, one of
the protesters appeared before the Crown
Court today.
>> That's right. Across the road here at
the Crown Court in Chelmsford this
morning, a separate case, Philip Keren,
we saw here arriving in a white shirt
spoke to confirm his identity and enter
a not guilty plea to a charge of violent
disorder. As you say, a number of
demonstrations have been held outside
the Bell Hotel in Eping in recent weeks.
The court heard Mr. Keren allegedly used
or threatened unlawful violence. The
52-year-old was granted conditional bail
ahead of a case management hearing on
September the 22nd.