A Somali man in his 20s has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after a stabbing at a hotel used to house asylum seekers in Surrey, police have said. The victim is a support staff worker, according to the local MP.
Incident at The Stanwell Hotel
Surrey Police said armed officers were called to The Stanwell Hotel in Town Lane, Stanwell, at 6.30pm on Saturday (August 15) to a report of a stabbing. A man in his 30s was taken to hospital by South East Coast Ambulance Service with "life-threatening injuries".
The suspect, a Somali national, remains in police custody. Police said they are not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident.
MP confirms victim's role
Conservative MP Lincoln Jopp, who represents Spelthorne, posted a video on Facebook on Sunday in which he said the victim was "one of the support staff who work here" and that "one of the people who live here was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder". He said he would tell the Home Office that the hotel should be a priority for closure to asylum seekers.
Det Supt Kate Hyder said in a statement: "We understand this incident has caused concern within the local community, and I encourage you to speak to local officers."
Context: asylum seeker hotels
Surrey Police is asking anyone with information to call 101 or use the live chat service on its website. There are around 160 asylum seeker hotels in the UK, down from a peak of 400 in 2023, according to the Home Office.
The Government announced earlier this month that 13 hotels had closed, saving taxpayers £51 million. Hotels were closed in Loughborough, Hale, Wolverhampton, Blackpool, Nottingham, Bradford, Norwich, Bridgwater, Hitchin, Lewisham, Sandbach, Dunstable, and Stratford-upon-Avon.
Ministers are also seeking to extend the use of military sites, including Crowborough until 2030 and Wethersfield beyond 2027. Planning permission is being sought at MOD Bicester and MOD Barnham, while discussions are underway for MOD Linton-on-Ouse. Together, these new sites could eventually house around 3,750 asylum seekers.
