A migrant residing at the asylum seeker hotel at the centre of a series of recent protests has been charged with a litany of offences including sexual assault.
Mohammed Sharwarq, a Syrian national living at the Bell Hotel in Epping, faces seven charges linked to offences alleged to have been committed between July 25 and August 12.
Sharwarq, 32, is facing two counts of common assault, four counts of assault by beating and a single count of sexual assault on a man, contrary to section 3 of the Sexual Offences Act 2002.
Essex Police said they arrested a 32-year-old man after being called to the Bell Hotel in Epping on August 12 before taking him in for questioning.
He was then charged and was due to appear in court today.
A spokesperson for the force said: ‘Mohammed Sharwarq, a Syrian national who resides at The Bell Hotel, Epping has been charged with the following offences: two counts of common assault; four counts of assault by beating; one count of sexual assault on a male contrary to section 3 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003.
‘The offences are alleged to have taken place between 25 July and 12 August.
‘He has been remanded in custody and is due to appear at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court today, Wednesday 13 August.
‘Officers are not currently seeking any other suspects in relation with this case.’
The Bell Hotel has been at the epicentre of a series of anti-immigration protests held outside asylum seeker accommodation after an Ethiopian migrant was charged with a series of unrelated sexual offences.
Large scale protests began outside the Bell on July 13 – before spreading to other accommodation across the country.Â