A man living at the former RAF Wethersfield asylum site has pleaded not guilty to assault and criminal damage charges following an alleged confrontation at a Braintree charity shop, as the base continues to be the focus of regular protests over its future use.
A man living in asylum accommodation at the former RAF Wethersfield base in Essex has denied assaulting a woman during an alleged confrontation at a Braintree charity shop. Ramadhani Matenga, 30, appeared before Colchester Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, where he entered not guilty pleas to charges of common assault and criminal damage. The charges stem from an incident at the Danaher RSPCA shop in May. Prosecutor Sarah Thompson told the court that Matenga, who gave evidence through a Swahili interpreter, lives at the ex-RAF site.
Case to proceed to full trial
With not guilty pleas entered on both counts, the case will now move to a full trial. According to the prosecution, the criminal damage charge relates to property said to have been damaged during the same alleged confrontation at the RSPCA shop, meaning both charges arise from the same incident on the same day. The matter has been listed for a one-day trial at Colchester Magistrates’ Court, with proceedings expected to take place in 2027. No evidence has yet been tested in court, and Matenga continues to deny both allegations.
Bail conditions imposed
Matenga was released on conditional bail following his appearance. Under the terms set by the court, he must continue residing at the RAF Wethersfield asylum accommodation while he awaits trial. He has also been barred from entering Braintree town centre and from contacting any prosecution witnesses.
RAF Wethersfield accommodation
The former RAF base has housed single adult men seeking asylum since July 2023. The Home Office has confirmed that the site remains one of the largest asylum accommodation facilities in the UK, currently housing around 800 single male asylum seekers aged between 18 and 65. Residents are provided with a shuttle bus three times a day to the neighbouring towns of Braintree, Colchester and Chelmsford.
Ongoing protests over site’s future
The government’s decision to extend the use of RAF Wethersfield beyond 2027 has continued to face both legal and political opposition. Local campaign groups have maintained regular demonstrations calling for the site’s closure, with some residents in the surrounding parish previously saying they feel unsafe around the accommodation. In January, right-wing activist Tommy Robinson — whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon — joined up to 1,000 protesters at a demonstration, where banners reading “Essex Voices Matter” and “we will not be silenced” were carried.
Charity shop plays key role in funding
The Danaher RSPCA shop in Braintree, where the alleged incident took place, is run by the independent Danaher Animal Home charity. The charity has said its network of retail shops generates around half of the funding it needs each year to operate its animal rescue and rehoming centre, underlining the shop’s financial importance to its wider work.
