A judge warned him that he will “likely” be jailed

A man who admitted violent disorder after a demonstration outside an asylum seeker hotel in Epping has been warned that he will “likely” be jailed.

Martin Peagram pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court to violent disorder outside the Bell Hotel in Epping on July 17.

The 33-year-old, of Loughton, appeared before Chelmsford Crown Court on Tuesday (September 2) but was told by the judge that he will not be sentenced until next month. Peagram, who wore a dark blue tracksuit and was brought up from the cells to the dock in handcuffs, spoke to confirm his name at the start of the brief hearing.

Judge Jamie Sawyer said that defendants involved in protests outside the Bell Hotel, who had pleaded guilty and whose cases were outstanding, would be sentenced on October 6. He also warned Peagram that he “likely” faces a custodial sentence.

“I’m not in a position to sentence Mr Peagram this morning,” he said. He continued: “If there are defendants who are yet to be committed or sent to this court, the two dates are October 6 for sentence, then secondly September 22 for a further case management hearing.”

Joseph Lord, for Peagram, asked that a pre-sentence report be prepared about the defendant, and the judge agreed to this request. But the judge added: “Mr Peagram must understand the likely sentence will be an immediate prison sentence.”

Addressing Peagram, who had medium-length brown hair and a beard, the judge said: “Mr Peagram, I’ve adjourned your case to October 6. I’ve agreed to the application for a pre-sentence report. I’m not ruling out an immediate prison sentence. The most likely outcome, I’m afraid, is an immediate prison sentence.”

Peagram said “thank you” before he was led back to the cells. The judge remanded him in custody until October 6.

Multiple demonstrations have been held outside the Bell Hotel in Epping since July 13 after an asylum seeker was charged with the alleged sexual assault of a 14-year-old girl. His trial began last week and is due to conclude later this week.

Essex Live

A man who kicked a police officer while protesting outside a hotel housing asylum seekers has been given a suspended jail sentence.

Jimmy Hillard, 52, struck the officer with his leg outside The Bell Hotel in Epping, Essex, on Friday.

It came hours after a Court of Appeal ruling allowed migrants to continue being housed inside the building.

The carpenter, from Loughton, was sentenced to eight weeks in prison, suspended for one year, at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court after admitting assaulting an emergency worker.

He was also ordered to undertake 60 hours of unpaid work and pay the police officer £100 in compensation.

Serena Berry, prosecuting, said Hillard was outside The Bell Hotel at 21:20 BST while a police cordon was in place, and an officer asked him to move.

“This defendant didn’t move,” the prosecutor said, adding an officer then “pushed him away from the officers’ cordon, causing him to fall to the ground”.

“While on the ground he’s kicked out at [the officer],” Ms Berry said, telling the court “no injury was sustained”.

‘Difficult and hostile’

Thousands of people have attended anti-immigration protests and counter-demonstrations outside The Bell Hotel since July.

It followed an asylum seeker housed there being arrested and subsequently charged with several offences including the sexual assault of a 14-year-old girl.

Hadush Kebatu, who is from Ethiopia, denies the offences and has been on trial.

Sentencing Hillard, Judge Christopher Williams said officers had faced “very difficult and hostile” situations at times.

“There’s ongoing disorder surrounding the government’s policy on housing asylum seekers at hotels across the country,” he said.

“The Bell Hotel is at the epicentre of that.”
Protesters marching in a tight group, marshalled by a line of police officers at the front. The protesters are waving England and union jack flags. There are a handful of women and children near the front of the crowd.

Judge Williams said Hillard had been previously sentenced in 2021 for a racially aggravated offence that took place outside the same hotel.

“Given the ongoing disorder at the hotel and across the country, I’ve got to be considering punishment and deterrence,” he added, banning Hillard from the vicinity of the building for six months.

At the same court, Ross Ellis, of Orchard Croft, Harlow, was sentenced for failing to provide a specimen.

Essex Police said a car had been driven towards its officers, on the wrong side of the road, as they maintained a cordon on Friday.

Ellis, 49, was banned from driving for two years and fined £200.

Earlier on Monday, in a separate hearing at Chelmsford Crown Court, 23-year-old Charlie Land denied two offences related to events outside The Bell Hotel on 17 July.

The defendant, from Hatfield in Hertfordshire, denied violent disorder and criminally damaging a police van.

He was bailed until a hearing on 22 September.

BBC News