Meron Habtu, an asylum seeker aged 24, is discussed in proceedings at Poole Magistrates’ Court in relation to convictions involving sexual offences. Reporting says Habtu entered the UK illegally from Eritrea in 2020 and is alleged to have presented himself as a child to authorities. The court hears that he gave an incorrect age, described in accounts as “fooling” authorities, despite being 24.
The reports also state that Habtu is serving a jail term after being convicted of groping a teenage girl on a train. In addition, he is said to have been on bail at the time of that offence for another sexual attack. The coverage indicates the case centers on how his age was treated during the asylum and criminal justice processes, as well as the circumstances of the train incident and his legal status when it occurred.
The information comes from court reporting and focuses on allegations and findings discussed in court.
