An asylum seeker told a 14-year-old girl he wanted to have a baby with her after she offered him pizza because he looked hungry, a court heard.
Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu allegedly made inappropriate comments to the teenager and her friend “without any encouragement” after accepting the food offering, his trial was told.
Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court heard the defendant told the two teenagers “he wanted to have a baby with each of them” before attempting to kiss them.
Kebatu is alleged to have initially approached the pair on July 7, before putting his hand on one of the girl’s thighs and attempting to kiss her again the following day.
Prosecutor Stuart Cowen said Kebatu had recently arrived in the UK and his "advances" were rejected by the 14-year-olds.
The girl told police she "froze" during the alleged incident and told him "no, I'm 14". The alleged victim said the defendant responded "no, no, it doesn't matter, you could come back to the Bell Hotel with me".
Speaking about offering Kebatu pizza, the girl told police: "He's hovering, he's come over, he looked hungry so we was like 'do you want a slice?'
“He sat down eating a slice. Out of nowhere he said ‘I want one baby from you and one baby from your friend’.
“I put my boy mate between us.”
The defendant is also alleged to have approached another member of the public on July 8, attempting to kiss her and putting his hand on her leg after she offered to help him with his CV. The woman alleges Kebatu also told her she was pretty.
Cowen told the court: "She came and sat next to the defendant when the group got up, and she engaged in conversation and offered to help him with his CV. She then alleged he sexually assaulted her by putting his hand on her leg and tried to kiss her."
Kebatu, speaking through a Tigrinya interpreter, denies two counts of sexual assault, one count of attempted sexual assault, one count of inciting a girl to engage in sexual activity, and one count of harassment without violence. Tigrinya is commonly spoken in Eritrea.
Judge Christopher Williams is presiding over the case, with the trial expected to last two days. The defendant gave his date of birth as December 1986, which would make him 38 years old.
The case has attracted significant publicity due to the defendant's personal circumstances, with protests and counter-protests held outside the Bell Hotel in Epping, Essex.
Similar protests have been held outside hotels across the country housing asylum seekers.
Somani Hotels Limited, which owns the Bell Hotel, will have its bid to appeal against a ruling that it cannot house asylum seekers at the site heard by the Court of Appeal on Thursday, per court listings.
Sources used: "PA Media", "Daily Mail", "BBC", "Express" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
