Woman admits brandishing a knife in migrant hotel incident

A woman accused of trying to barge into a migrant hotel after she found a refugee in her mother’s flat has admitted brandishing a knife in the incident.

Channay Augustus, 22, lives in the flat near the Britannia Hotel in Canary Wharf with her blind mother and thought the intruder was one of the migrants there,

She was involved in a scuffle as up to 20 people tried to get into the hotel on August 13.

Augustus was allegedly armed with a meat cleaver and threatened Aqib Ahmad, a security guard, and another man, Abdullah Abdi.

She appeared at Snaresbrook Crown Court via video link from HMP Bronzefield wearing a grey coat over a white t-shirt.

Augustus admitted one count of affray and having an article with a blade or point, but denies threatening another with a bladed article and assaulting an emergency worker.

Her trial date was fixed for June 29 next year, and an application for bail will be heard later today.

Judge Sandy Canavan told Augustus: ‘If you don’t turn up to your trial it can go ahead without you, and there will be no one to put your story and the jury can hold it against you.’

Earlier prosecutor Hitesh Saini said: ‘The incident happened outside a hotel where asylum seekers are housed.

‘As a result, there were significant disturbance caused, and a number of people tried to barge into the hotel.’

Mr Saini added: ‘I have received statements from the security guards. The security said he was in the company of his colleague and they were trying to calm down the defendant.

‘The female in blue (the defendant), told the security guard: ”I’m going to come back and stab you with a knife. She pulled a meat cleaver from her jacket and started banging.

‘The defendant then shouted: ‘F*cking asylum seekers.’ She looked at the security guard again and told him: ”I’m going to stab you.”

‘The defendant was captured on CCTV. She was arrested at her home address.’

Augustus admits one count of affray and having a bladed article, but denies threatening another with a blade or point and assaulting an emergency worker.

Her family members sat in the public gallery during the court hearing.