A small boat migrant has been charged with three sexual assaults in Essex - just over a week after crossing the English Channel.
Ethiopian "asylum seeker" Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, 38, denies the charges, which cover a period between Monday and Tuesday in Epping.
Kebatu also denied inciting a girl to engage in sexual activity and harassment without violence.
The 38-year-old was remanded in custody after the hearing at Colchester Magistrates' Court on Thursday - where District Judge Christopher Williams said he would face a trial within 56 days.
Prosecutor Serena Berry told the court that one of his alleged victims had been approached "on a busy high street".
The 38-year-old was remanded in custody after the hearing at Colchester Magistrates' Court on Thursday
PA
She said Kebatu had "no ties to anyone or any place in the UK", adding: "Immigration have confirmed he has only been in the UK since June 29, 2025."
Home Office figures show that 585 migrants arrived on the South Coast on eight dinghies on that day.
Raphael Pigott, defending, said: "I believe he is here as a refugee or asylum seeker, and that he arrived informally on a boat."
Essex Police said: "We were alerted to reports of a man acting inappropriately in High Road, at 5.20pm on Tuesday July 8.
"Officers arrived quickly and arrested a man. As a result of the work of officers, offences separate to those which had taken place on Tuesday were then reported for the first time and an investigation was launched."
And following the allegations, Epping Forest District Council's leader Chris Whitbread called for a migrant hotel in the town to be closed.
READ MORE ON MIGRANT HOTELS:
- MAPPED: The migrant hotels set to close under Labour's asylum crackdown - is one located in YOUR area?
- Migrant hotel ‘king’ becomes BILLIONAIRE as profits surge from taxpayer funded contracts to house asylum seekers
- Migrant hotels used as hubs for illegal 'dark economy' delivery jobs as asylum seekers earn £1k per WEEK
The Ethiopian migrant arrived in Britain on June 29 - alongside 584 others
PA
"The events that took place in Epping on Tuesday are both deeply disturbing and extremely concerning," he said, and thanked police for their "rapid and effective" response.
The Home Office said that the asylum system was "under strain" following Whitbread's call.
"That was the situation the Government inherited, but we have begun to restore order, with a rapid increase in asylum decision-making and the removal of more than 24,000 people with no right to be in the UK," a spokeswoman said.
"By restoring order to the system, we will be able to end the use of asylum hotels over time, and reduce the overall costs to the taxpayer of asylum accommodation."
Latest data from the department shows that 55 migrants are being housed under Epping Forest's jurisdiction.
MORE ON BRITAIN'S ASYLUM CHAOS:
Essex Police was first alerted to the asylum seeker on July 8
PAEssex Police superintendent Tim Tubbs said following the migrant's court appearance: "We're aware of a significant amount of public discussion around this case - and I understand that.
"As the police, we must be limited in what we say whilst a criminal investigation is progressing through the courts and the last thing we want is for any public discussion to hinder an ongoing prosecution.
"We're working closely with our key partners in the area, and this means we're all able to understand the impact this incident has had locally - and that impact is not lost on me.
"We have had continued, targeted patrols in the area since this incident and we plan for this to continue.
"These officers are there to help and reassure you, so please feel free to approach that if you do have any wider concerns."