Protest in Folkestone After Sentencing in Sexual Assault Case as Police Urge Calm


Police were deployed in large numbers in Folkestone on Friday evening after a protest gathered near a hotel being used to accommodate asylum seekers, following the sentencing of a man for the rape of a 15-year-old girl.
Kent Police confirmed that several hundred people assembled close to the site shortly after the court outcome became public. Officers said the protest was largely peaceful at first, but tensions increased as the crowd grew and a small number of individuals threw bottles and other objects towards police lines.
The man at the centre of the case, an Afghan national who had been living in the UK while his asylum claim was being processed, was sentenced to 12 years in prison after being convicted of raping a teenage girl. The court heard that the offence caused significant and lasting harm to the victim.
The hotel where the protest took place currently houses more than 50 asylum seekers. Local residents have previously raised concerns about the lack of consultation and communication around the use of the site.
Police said additional officers were sent to the area to prevent further disorder and to protect residents, hotel staff and protesters. No serious injuries were reported, but officers confirmed that enquiries are under way into incidents of disorder.

A spokesperson for Kent Police said:
“Our priority is public safety. We recognise the strength of feeling in the community, but we urge people to express their views lawfully and without putting others at risk.”
Local councillors said the case has deeply shocked the town and renewed anger about the use of temporary asylum accommodation in residential areas. They called on the government to provide clearer information to communities and better support for local services.
The Home Office has previously stated that the use of hotels is a temporary measure while longer-term accommodation is secured and that serious criminal offences committed by asylum seekers are dealt with through the courts in the same way as any other offender.
Community leaders in Folkestone appealed for calm and warned that further unrest would only increase anxiety for residents and families living nearby.