She was then supplied a £30 refund.
Kyran Smith attacked the girl after Travelodge workers gave him the sufferer’s room key (Picture: Police handout)
A lady has slammed Travelodge for “failing” her after lodge workers handed her room key to a person who sexually assaulted her in her mattress, resulting in his jailing for seven-and-a-half years. The sufferer, now in her 30s and unnamed for authorized causes, woke in horror to Kyran Smith attacking her on the Maidenhead department in December 2022.
The pair had attended the identical get together earlier that night time, however she retired alone to her room round 2am—her first solo lodge keep. Smith, 29, from Staines, lied to reception workers, claiming to be her boyfriend, and obtained a replica key card. He slipped into her locked room and assaulted her as she slept. He fled after dressing, returning the important thing earlier than retreating to his personal room.
The sufferer instructed the BBC: “I really feel like they failed me. It makes me extra pissed off that they have not mentioned ‘OK sure we did this improper’. As a substitute they’ve put the blame apart.”
She blasted the lodge’s safety lapses, insisting workers ought to by no means have granted entry with out verification. She mentioned: “If I checked-in alone and the room reserving is only for me why would you assume it is OK to let somebody in in the course of the night time whereas I am asleep?
“At the very least wake me up or telephone the room or come as much as the room. Something is best than simply giving somebody a key card.”
The lady disputed Travelodge’s declare that Smith handed safety checks by offering her title and exhibiting textual content messages.
She mentioned: “The one factor he would learn about me was my title. They mentioned he was in a position to present them textual content messages, however I did not have his telephone quantity and he did not have mine.”
She recalled her confusion upon waking: “I double-checked I locked the door. I could not work out how he was in my room as a result of I did the whole lot that I might deem to be appropriate while you keep in a lodge.”
The subsequent morning, she reported the assault to workers and acquaintances. Smith was arrested and, after a four-day trial at Studying Crown Court docket in November 2025, convicted of sexual assault and trespass with intent to commit a sexual offence.
He was sentenced to seven years and 6 months on 23 January 2026.
Investigating officer Detective Constable Arshid Ali mentioned: “I welcome the sentencing which displays the seriousness of the offence and the harmful nature of the defendant. Thames Valley Police deal with all sexual offences with the utmost seriousness, significantly these dedicated towards ladies.”
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Travelodge supplied the sufferer a £30 refund, which she branded “very insulting—it could have been higher in the event that they hadn’t supplied it.” The chain admitted the provide was “inappropriate” however insisted workers adopted procedures accurately. In an announcement, it mentioned: “The protection and safety of our visitors is our precedence… On the time of the incident our lodge staff adopted the right safety procedures.”
The sufferer urged Travelodge to overtake insurance policies to forestall related nightmares. Thames Valley Police inspired victims to report offences on 101 or anonymously by way of Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
A Travelodge spokesman mentioned: “The protection and safety of our visitors is our precedence and we had been deeply involved to listen to of this distressing incident and our sympathies are with the sufferer.
“On the time of the incident our lodge staff adopted the right safety procedures. We proceed to make sure our lodge and buyer providers groups are educated to observe our authorized insurance policies.”
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Within the wake of public outcry following the court docket case, Travelodge issued a second assertion.
It learn:”We need to apologise to the sufferer for the way in which this incident has been dealt with. Travelodge adopts business normal safety procedures which had been adopted on the time of the incident in 2022. We’ll perform a full assessment of our room safety insurance policies to study from this incident and additional strengthen our procedures.”
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