Hotel migrant ‘caught trying to smuggle a knife into immigration centre’

A hotel migrant was caught with a knife in his backpack as he went through the security scanner at an immigration centre, a court heard.

Eritrean national Beriahne Hadish, 25, was allegedly found in possession of the blade at the Home Office immigration building on Union Street, Liverpool, on July 23 last year.

Hadish, who came to the UK illegally, is now living in the four-star taxpayer funded Heston Hyde asylum hotel in Hounslow, west London.

Wearing a grey jumper with black jeans, Hadish appeared at Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court today (weds) and denied possessing a knife in public, assisted by an Amharic interpreter.

Prosecutor Beena Makwana said: ‘He has attended the immigration centre in Liverpool. Upon entering he was required to put his backpack through the security scanner and that has alerted the security staff to the knife.’

Chris McGlinchey, defending, asked for the case to be sent to Liverpool Magistrates’ Court and for Hadish to receive legal representation there.

Magistrate David Holroyd told Hadish: ‘We are adjourning this matter for a case management hearing at Liverpool Magistrates; Court on September 26.

‘We are granting you unconditional bail until 9.30am on that day. That means you must attend Liverpool Magistrates’ at 9.30am on September 26.

‘If you fail to attend you will be committing an offence for which you will be arrested, fined, or sent to prison.’

Mr Holroyd asked Hadish if he understood, to which he said: ‘Yes’.

Hadish was granted unconditional bail ahead of a case management hearing at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court on September 26.