Woman 'tried to storm asylum seeker hotel with meat cleaver' after migrant 'walked into bilnd mother's flat', court hears
A woman tried to force her way into a hotel housing migrants after one of its residents walked into her blind mother’s flat, a court has heard.
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Channay Augustus, 22, was part of a group of around 20 people who tried to barge into the Britannia Hotel in Canary Wharf, east London, on Wednesday evening, it is alleged.
The trouble started when she discovered a migrant inside her mother’s flat, a five-minute walk away from the hotel, Thames Magistrates’ Court was told.
After chasing the man away, she went to the hotel at around 6pm where she confronted a security guard who was trying her calm her down, the court was told.
She returned a short time later with a meat cleaver and started banging it on a metal barrier outside the hotel, the court heard.
She also shouted “f****** asylum seekers”, the court was told. Augustus was later arrested at her home.
During a hearing on Friday, her lawyer indicated she would deny possession of an offensive weapon, affray, assault on an emergency worker and common assault.
She admitted to possession of cannabis.
The migrant who entered her flat, who is in his early 20s, has been arrested on suspicion of assault, the Metropolitan Police said.
“We can confirm that this is the man who allegedly entered the flat,” a statement said.
He remains in police custody.
The hotel has been the focus of protests in recent weeks.
Augustus, of Tower Hamlets, was remanded into custody to appear at Snaresbrook Crown Court on September 12.
