An Ethiopian asylum seeker has been sentenced to 12 months in prison after being convicted of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl and a woman in Epping, Essex. Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, 38, was found guilty of five offences following a three-day trial at Chelmsford and Colchester magistrates' courts. The incidents occurred just days after Kebatu arrived in the UK on a small boat and while he was accommodated at The Bell Hotel as part of the UK's asylum seeker housing program.

The court heard that Kebatu approached the teenager and her friends in Epping town center on July 7 and 8, inviting them back to the hotel and making unwanted advances. According to testimony, he told the girls "come back to Africa, you would be a good wife" and stated he wanted "one baby from you and one baby from your friend." The following day, Kebatu attempted to kiss the 14-year-old and placed his hand on her thigh, with the victim reporting she repeatedly said "no, I'm 14" but alleged he responded that "age did not matter."

Kebatu also sexually assaulted a woman who had been assisting him with his CV, placing his hand on her thigh after what she described as him "taking advantage of my kindness." During sentencing, District Judge Christopher Williams criticized Kebatu's account and said he had sought to portray himself as a victim and "scapegoat." The judge noted that while Kebatu had attempted suicide while on remand, there was "no realistic prospect" of rehabilitation, making a suspended sentence inappropriate.

The case sparked significant protests outside The Bell Hotel and other asylum seeker accommodations across the country. In victim impact statements, the 14-year-old said she now feels vulnerable wearing skirts and checks over her shoulder when with friends, while the adult victim expressed frustration that Kebatu "did not even appear to know that what he's done was wrong." The court also heard that Kebatu now wishes to be deported, a position he held even before the trial according to his lawyer Molly Dyas.

Kilcoo secured their place in Down football history on Sunday, capturing an unprecedented seventh consecutive Senior Football Championship title with a 1-17 to 1-11 victory over Carryduff at Pairc Esler. The Magpies delivered their strongest performance of the championship when it mattered most, with Paul Devlin's first-half penalty goal providing crucial separation in a hard-fought contest that saw the throw-in time pushed back to 5pm following a pitch inspection.

The match, originally scheduled for 3:30pm, saw Kilcoo demonstrate the championship experience that has defined their remarkable 12-title run over 13 seasons. Devlin's 22nd-minute penalty strike down the middle proved decisive, with the player explaining his calculated approach: "It was a big moment in the game and it needed to go in, so I didn't want to put it in the corner and the keeper has a chance if diving. I just thought I wanted to hit it hard."

Carryduff, making their first final appearance since losing to Kilcoo in the 2020 decider, mounted a second-half rally but ultimately fell short of claiming what would have been their inaugural Frank O'Hare Cup. The South Belfast club had powered past Burren in the semi-final with their full contingent available, but couldn't overcome Kilcoo's championship pedigree despite showing improved form from their previous final appearance five years earlier.

Devlin expressed satisfaction with the victory amid external skepticism, noting "it's nice to see that people want Kilcoo to fall" while emphasizing the team's resilience. "This one is sweet with how the game played out and the build-up where we were doubted in this year's championship," he told BBC Sport NI. "It just shows the character of this team. Big teams play well in big games and we have that experience to put in those big performances." The win solidifies Kilcoo's status as the dominant force in Down football, achieving a landmark that had eluded them when Burren denied their seventh consecutive title bid in 2018.