Two men have been warned they will likely be jailed for causing violent disorder during a protest outside a hotel housing asylum seekers.

Hundreds of people have demonstrated outside The Bell Hotel in Epping, Essex, in recent months, protesting against it being used to house asylum seekers.

Dean Smith, 51, from Epping and Stuart Williams, 36, of Thornwood near Epping, pleaded guilty at Chelmsford Crown Court to causing violent disorder on 17 July.

Both were remanded in custody for sentencing on 6 October.

Smith's barrister Christopher Martin told the court his client lives with his mother and is her carer and works full-time at Waitrose.

Judge Jamie Sawyer ordered a pre-sentence report about Williams and said: "The strong likelihood is it will be an immediate prison sentence."

Separately, other defendants denied committing offences on 17 July.

• Lee Gower, 43, from Epping, denied violent disorder and assaulting a police officer
• Shaun Thompson, 37, of Epping, who was alleged to have punched a police car, denied committing violent disorder
• Jonathan Glover, 47, of Waltham Abbey, was not asked to enter a plea to a charge of violent disorder
• Keith Silk, 33, of Loughton, pleaded not guilty to violent disorder. He also denied criminal damage, having been accused of damaging a sign belonging to The Bell Hotel

Mr Gower was remanded in custody. Mr Thompson, Mr Glover and Mr Silk were granted bail. All of them are due for another hearing on 22 September.

The recent protests followed the arrest of a resident at the hotel, subsequently charged with sexual assault, harassment and inciting a girl to engage in sexual activity.

Hadush Kebatu, 41, from Ethiopia, has denied the offences and is in custody.

Twenty-eight people have since been arrested in relation to disorder at the hotel, and 16 of them have been charged.

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