A “PREDATORY” asylum seeker who claimed he was a minor then sexually assaulted a woman and a girl has been jailed.
Meron Habtu came to the UK illegally aged 24 but “fooled” the authorities into thinking he was 17.
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Meron Habtu claimed he was a minor then sexually assaulted a woman and a girl Credit: BNPS
The crook came to the UK illegally aged 24 Credit: Getty
A year later he sexually assaulted a drunk woman after “pestering” females coming out of bars and nightclubs.
After being convicted and awaiting sentence, Habtu, from Eritrea, cornered a 15-year-old as she came out of a train toilet and pinned her against the wall, telling her she was beautiful.
She got back to her seat with a friend and burst into tears.
Judge Orla Austin, at Poole magistrates’ court, heard Habtu was sent to live with a family in Weymouth, Dorset, after arriving in Britain in 2020.
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The first sex offence happened in the town in 2021 — and a year on, Habtu struck again.
Leah Dillon, prosecuting, said: “He was a predator acting in broad daylight.
He targeted a vulnerable young girl.”
Habtu, now 29, denied the attack but was convicted of sexual assault of a child after a trial in April.
The court heard he was a “high risk to females”, had cut off an ankle tag previously imposed and did not follow sex offender register regulations.
Jailing him for 12 months, the judge said authorities will decide if he is deported afterwards.
