Overview

• At a High Court hearing on August 15, Mr Justice Eyre reserved judgment until Tuesday and ordered Somani Hotels not to accept new asylum applications at the Bell Hotel.
• Council lawyers argued that converting the Bell Hotel for asylum housing breaches planning regulations and has provided a focal point for violent protests.
• Somani Hotels opposed the injunction, warning that removing placements would cause hardship for asylum seekers and set a dangerous precedent.
• Mohammed Sharwarq, 32, pleaded guilty to multiple assault counts at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court, denied a sexual assault count and remains remanded for trial next month; earlier charges against Hadush Kebatu are still active.
• The judge’s upcoming decision could influence other councils’ challenges to hotel-based asylum accommodation and the Home Office’s use of temporary facilities.