A council has won its bid to temporarily block asylum seekers from being housed at a hotel in Essex.

Epping Forest District Council sought an interim injunction to stop migrants from being accommodated at the Bell Hotel in Epping, which is owned by Somani Hotels Limited.

A government attempt to delay the application was rejected by the High Court judge earlier on Tuesday.

The interim injunction now means the hotel has to be cleared of its occupants within 14 days.

Somani Hotels said it intended to appeal the decision.

Several protests have been held outside the hotel in recent weeks after an asylum seeker housed there was charged with sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl.

Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, 38, was charged with trying to kiss a teenage girl and denies the allegations. He i

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