Asylum seeker living in Burnley hit home office official with coffee table

Oluwatoyin Dolapo hit area housing manager Ceri Adams with a coffee table after the victim and her colleague Stephanie Wilson arrived at Dolapo's home in Burnley.

Dolapo, said to be so unpredictable officials only visited her in pairs, had threatened: "I will show you dangerous," before striking Ceri Adams's arm and smashing her mobile phone, the town's magistrates heard.

The hearing was told Dolapo, a 39-year-old mum, had already got very aggressive when it was pointed out she had painted the outside of her house and was selling furniture, both of which were banned on her contract.

The officials had taken pictures of a table with a "For Sale" sign on in her back yard as evidence for the Home Office.

In the trouble, on June 14th, Miss Adams suffered bruising to her arm. Mrs Tracy Yates, prosecuting, said: "She said the defendant was growling. She was absolutely terrified of her."

Mrs Yates told the hearing Ceri Adams was an area manager for housing for the Home Office. She carried out home checks for asylum seekers and also had to report to the Home Office if any asylum seekers were doing anything they shouldn't, such as working.

The prosecutor said Miss Adams had been told by her colleague that Dolapo had painted her house and was advertising furniture for sale, which she was not allowed to do. The pair knocked on the door, the defendant answered and they introduced themselves.

Dolapo, said Mrs Yates, was told she was not allowed to paint the house and replied: "Yes I can." The prosecutor continued: "She became really aggressive and said she had painted the house because her children were embarrassed. She said she was going to sue the Home Office."

The court heard Dolapo followed the pair out of the house and threw the victim's phone against a shop. The prosecutor told the court: "She says she was very shaken from the whole incident."

Mrs Yates said the defendant was interviewed by the police and admitted assaulting the victim with a coffee table.

The prosecutor continued: "She said she was unhappy they attended without making an appointment. She said they were rude and were calling her names and insulting her. The defendant said they told her she was a dangerous person and she was upset. She picked up the coffee table to hit the victim with it."

Mrs Yates went on: "She said she was assaulted by them after this as they pushed her. She picked up the mobile phone and admitted to smashing it. "

Dolapo, who was not represented by a solicitor, had sent the court a letter, with a psychiatric report.

The defendant, of Briercliffe Road, Burnley, admitted damage of £400 to the Samsung mobile phone belonging to Ceri Adams and assaulting her by beating. Dolapo will be sentenced at a later date.