Afghan Asylum Seeker Appears in London Court over Alleged Sexual Assault of a Woman

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Bashir Hotak, a 23-year-old Afghan asylum seeker in the United Kingdom, appeared in court on Tuesday charged with sexual assault and assault against a woman in London. He is accused of attacking and sexually assaulting a woman on 29 June this year at a bar in the West End area of London.

According to British media reports, at the time of the incident Hotak was staying at the “Ibis Styles Seven Kings” hotel in east London. He appeared in court accompanied by a Persian-speaking lawyer; however, only a few minutes after the hearing began, the lawyer announced that he could no longer represent him.

Reports say that when Hotak was asked to enter a plea to the charges, he broke down in tears, saying: “My English is very weak. I am ill, under medical treatment, and taking a lot of medication.”

The judge granted him three weeks to find a new lawyer. The next hearing is scheduled for 10 November. Until then, Hotak remains free on conditional bail, provided that he does not contact the complainant.

The judge warned that if these conditions are breached, police will arrest him and his bail status will be reviewed.