Three men have been jailed over violent disorder outside a hotel housing asylum seekers in Essex.
Stuart Williams, Martin Peagram, and Dean Smith are the first to be sentenced for violent disorder outside the Bell Hotel in Epping. They had pleaded guilty to violent disorder at earlier hearings.
Multiple protests have been held outside the hotel after asylum seeker Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, who lived in the hotel, sexually assaulted a woman and a 14-year-old girl in the town.
Ethiopian national Kebatu, 38, arrived in the UK on a small boat just days before the assaults in July. He was jailed for 12 months after a trial at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court last month.
The trio participated in the “high-profile protest in Epping outside the Bell Hotel on 17 July this year”, prosecutor Gordon Carse told Chelmsford Crown Court.
It was the third in a series of protests which are “still ongoing”, according to the prosecutor. The first two demonstrations on 12 and 13 July were “relatively peaceful”, he added.
Around 500 people attended the 17 July protest, police estimated, with a large sign on a flatbed van demanding to “protect our kids”.
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Mr Carse said 50 counter-protesters arrived and “worked to maintain public order and keep the two groups separate”, but “police officers were subjected to sustained attacks for over four hours”, which involved them being “pushed, punched and kicked”.
He added that police vans were kicked and damaged, and “missiles were thrown towards the officers”.
Williams, a painter and decorator from Epping, “got onto the roof of the Bell Hotel and attempted to ring the bell thereon”, Judge Jamie Sawyer said.
He added that Williams also kicked out at an officer and climbed onto the roof of a school for children with special needs.
Mitigating for Williams, Kevin Toomey said that “protect our kids” was the reason for the defendant’s involvement, and he “got carried away”. Williams was jailed for two years and four months.
Peagram, a 33-year-old roofer from Loughton, kicked a police carrier, kicked out at officers and threw a can, Mr Sawyer said.
The father of two, who was the main breadwinner, described his own behaviour as “idiotic”, Richard Padley, mitigating for the defendant, said. Peagram was jailed for two years and two months.
Smith, 51, was seen punching an officer’s shield, as well as pushing and shoving officers, the judge said.
Sam Thomas, mitigating for Smith, said he had no previous convictions and cares for his 74-year-old mother.
The Waitrose worker from Epping was jailed for one year and 10 months.
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Mr Sawyer told the three defendants: “Each of you, what you did went beyond protest and that became criminal when you acted as you did.”
He added that he was “satisfied this was racially motivated at least in part”.
