Friday September 12, 2025
FILE - Police officers stand guard outside The Chine Hotel in Bournemouth during recent protests over the use of local hotels to house asylum seekers. Demonstrations have intensified as concerns mount about crime and safety in the surrounding community.
LONDON, England (HOL) — A Somali asylum seeker avoided jail in the United Kingdom after spitting on a police officer during a disturbance at a hotel housing migrants in Bournemouth.
Shaafi Momad, 30, was handed a 12-month conditional discharge at Poole Magistrates’ Court, meaning he will not serve time unless he commits another offence within the next year. He was also ordered to pay £50 in compensation to the officer, identified as PC Browning.
The case stemmed from a March incident at the Roundhouse Hotel, one of several Bournemouth hotels used to accommodate asylum seekers. Police said Momad was “extremely intoxicated,” having consumed half a bottle of vodka and several beers, and became aggressive when officers attempted to restrain him. Backup units were called before he deliberately spat on the officer’s hand.
Court records showed Momad had previously received a six-week suspended sentence for a religiously aggravated assault. But because the spitting incident occurred before that earlier case was sentenced, it was not considered as part of Friday’s ruling.
Magistrate chair Paul Kemp told the defendant that assaulting an emergency worker was a “serious matter,” warning him that any new offence within the year would result in punishment for both crimes.
Prosecutor Nicola Reece said the officer had attempted to intervene during the disturbance when Momad spat at him. Defence lawyer Deborah Scudamore told the court her client had been attacked earlier at the hotel and was frustrated that police did not investigate. She said Momad apologized for his behaviour, admitted struggling with alcohol, and suffers from depression as he is not allowed to work while awaiting an asylum decision.
Conditional discharges are commonly issued by UK courts for low-level offences. While the sentence avoids immediate jail time, it places the offender at risk of harsher penalties if they reoffend during the specified period.