Overview

• Mr Justice Eyre granted a temporary injunction barring new or continued placements at the Bell Hotel and requiring all residents to leave by 4 p.m. on 12 September.
• The Home Office’s warning of operational disruption and protest risk did not carry the day, with its bid to intervene deemed unnecessary by the court.
• Somani Hotels was refused immediate permission to appeal but can seek leave from the Court of Appeal ahead of a substantive hearing expected in the autumn.
• The site drew intense attention after a resident was charged with sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl, triggering weeks of protests, clashes and arrests; the defendant denies the charge.
• Officials warned the ruling could spur similar legal moves by councils and stretch policing and accommodation plans, with about 140 men reported to be living at the hotel.