Asylum seekers to remain at hotel after appeal win

"Overturning the injunction, Lord Justice Bean said the High Court ruling was "seriously flawed in principle". Epping Forest District Council, which obtained the initial injunction, said "the battle was not over". The Home Office has braced itself for a wave of legal challenges from other councils over the use of hotels in their areas, fearing Epping's victory would set a precedent."

"Thousands of people have attended anti-immigration protests and counter-demonstrations outside The Bell Hotel since July. It followed an asylum seeker housed there being charged with sexually assaulting a teenage girl, an offence he denied and has been on trial for. The protests acted as a trigger for the council to apply for an injunction, its legal team said in court."

"Lord Justice Bean said the High Court ruling by Mr Justice Eyre failed to consider the challenges of relocating the migrants. "The judge's approach ignores the obvious consequence that the closure of one site means capacity needs to be identified elsewhere in the system," he said, reading the ruling made by him and two other Court of Appeal judges."

"Lord Justice Bean said this was "worrying", adding: "If an outbreak of protest enhances a case, this runs the risk of acting as an impetus for further protests - some of which may be disorderly - around asylum accommodation. There is a risk of encouraging further lawlessness.""

A temporary injunction ordering 138 asylum seekers to leave The Bell Hotel in Epping was overturned by the Court of Appeal. Lord Justice Bean described the High Court ruling as seriously flawed in principle and said it failed to consider the practical challenges of relocating migrants and finding capacity elsewhere in the asylum system. Epping Forest District Council said the legal battle was not over, with a full High Court hearing expected in mid-October. Large protests and counter-demonstrations arose after an asylum seeker housed at the hotel was charged with sexual assault, prompting arrests and local tensions.

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