A woman who was sexually assaulted by a man who was handed a key card to her room at a Travelodge has expressed shock and dismay over the hotel chain's chief executive cancelling a scheduled meeting with a group of MPs. The survivor, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was attacked by Kyran Smith in December 2022 at a Travelodge in Maidenhead, Berkshire.
MPs Demand Answers on Security Failures
More than twenty Members of Parliament had demanded the meeting this month to discuss serious concerns about the case, including details of Travelodge's security processes and procedures. The MPs also sought to address the chain's initial response, which involved offering the victim what she described as an "insulting" £30 refund following the traumatic incident.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer intervened personally, writing to Travelodge CEO Jo Boydell to express his deep concern about the meeting's cancellation. In his letter, Starmer pressed the hotel chain to "seriously engage" with MPs over what he termed an "utterly appalling" assault, highlighting the need for corporate accountability.
Survivor's Outrage at Corporate Avoidance
When asked for her reaction to the Prime Minister's letter during an interview with ITV's Good Morning Britain, the survivor stated firmly: "I think if you are the CEO of a company, then you have a responsibility to answer these questions and engage in that situation, and say how you're going to now improve. You're not protecting people and I mean, I personally find it quite shocking."
In a separate interview with BBC News, the woman directly challenged Boydell's commitment to guest safety: "If you're really that worried about safeguarding and protecting people and making sure your guests are safe, then why are you not attending these kinds of meetings with MPs?"
CEO's Apologies and Policy Changes
Jo Boydell has previously apologised to the survivor and stated that Travelodge had made immediate changes to its door key policy following the incident. During interviews with both ITV and the BBC on Monday, Boydell repeated her apologies, telling the BBC she was "genuinely sorry" for the company's handling of the case.
However, the survivor countered suggestions from the chief executive that there had been deadbolts on the doors, calling this a "deflection" tactic. She maintained that she had definitely locked her door on the night of the attack, raising further questions about security protocols.
Broader Security Concerns Revealed
Speaking to Good Morning Britain, Boydell acknowledged: "I'm really sorry if she did feel dismissed, and we are definitely listening to what she has to say. The hotels with key cards have deadbolts, but clearly something went wrong here, and that needs to be investigated."
Significantly, Boydell revealed she was aware of "other instances" of unwanted people entering customers' rooms at Travelodge properties. She admitted only learning about Smith's assault this month, despite the attack occurring more than three years ago and Smith being jailed in February for seven and a half years after conviction.
"We've certainly heard of other instances, different to this one, in terms of not keys being obtained by deception, but you know, any instance of somebody entering a customer's room that they haven't given explicit permission to, we understand, would be upsetting," Boydell stated.
Compensation Offer Deemed Insulting
The chief executive acknowledged she "can completely understand" that the survivor felt insulted after initially being offered just £30 in compensation by Travelodge. This minimal compensation offer has become a focal point of criticism regarding the company's response to serious incidents.
Boydell explained: "We've made some changes immediately in terms of how we handle serious incidents. I would have expected it to be escalated. It wasn't, so something went wrong." This admission suggests systemic failures in Travelodge's incident reporting and management procedures.
Legal Action and Attack Details
The survivor is now taking legal action against Travelodge, according to BBC reports. The attack occurred after Kyran Smith lied to reception staff at the Maidenhead hotel, falsely claiming to be the victim's boyfriend. Both had attended the same party before retiring to their respective rooms.
The woman revealed that staff told her Smith had passed their security checks by providing her name, highlighting critical flaws in the hotel's verification processes. This security failure allowed Smith to obtain a key card to her room, leading to the sexual assault that has now sparked national outrage and political intervention.
