‘Absolutely mind-blowing!’ GB News’s Mark White astonished by jailed Epping migrant’s admission

The incident sparked weeks of protests at the site and across the UK.

Our Home and Security Editor was surprised by one aspect of the case after it came to its close.

Tom Harwood and Nana Akua react to Epping hotel migrant Hadush Kebatu being sentenced to 12 months in prison

“We heard quite remarkable evidence in the court from the prosecutor today who read some of the pre-sentencing research that was done, including interviews with Kebatu”, he said on GB News.

“He had said he didn’t realise the UK was so strict, which is absolutely mind-blowing.

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“The fact he would even think that, anywhere in the world, it would be legal to go and sexually assault a child.

“He has now been sentenced. It’s 12-months, the maximum this magistrate could sentence him for without referring it to the Crown Court.

“That will not be enough for the victims or the people in that community without a doubt.”

Kebatu’s lawyer told the court he wants to be deported following his ordeal.

Mark said that despite this being the case, there are some stipulations which means his removal from Britain is not a cut and dry case.

“There is a big question the Home Office has not answered despite me asking them this earlier today”, he explained.

“That is, when this man has served his sentence, which given time served and now you only ever serve 40 per cent of your jail term, he’s going to be out in early December.

“We know that plans to deport people are often quite protracted in length. The Home Office is yet to clarify whether this man, who the judge said is clearly a danger to the public, be taken into immigration removal custody and not be let back onto the streets of a UK town or city.

“That we don’t know at this stage. I think it’s very likely the Government, given it’s 12-months, the threshold for when a foreign offender is deported, that crucially allows the Government to enact its policy.

“The judge did not think he was remorseful and was instead just sorry he had been caught and things had turned out the way he had. He thinks this man could well be a danger to other members of the public, particularly children.”

The UK Borders Act 2007 means a deportation order must be made where a foreign national has been convicted of an offence and received a custodial sentence of at least 12 months.

District judge Christopher Williams said the asylum seeker posed a “significant risk of reoffending”.

He also said Kebatu “couldn’t have anticipated” his offending “would cause such a response from the public”.

Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court was told Kebatu had tried to kiss the teenager, put his hand on her thigh and brushed her hair after she offered him pizza.

The asylum seeker also told the girl and her friend he wanted to have a baby with them before inviting them back to The Bell Hotel.

The incident occurred on 7 July, about a week after he arrived in the UK on a boat.

The girl told police the incident left her “really creeped out”.

Kebatu was also found guilty of sexually assaulting a woman.

He put his hand on her thigh and tried to kiss her after she tried to intervene after seeing him talking to the girl again the following day.

He denied all the charges but was convicted earlier this month.