Travelodge failed sex assault victim at every stage

An independent review has revealed that the budget hotel chain Travelodge failed to protect a sexual assault victim at every stage following an attack at its property in Maidenhead. The perpetrator, Kyran Smith, managed to obtain a room key less than three minutes after approaching the reception desk, handled by a staff member who had received no training regarding key security.

The incident occurred after Smith falsely claimed to be the victim's boyfriend, leading to his conviction and a seven-and-a-half-year prison sentence in January. Greaney, who led the independent review, stated that the blame rested with the organization as a whole—headquartered in Thame, Oxfordshire—rather than individual staff members, noting a corporate culture where room intrusions were dismissed as routine occurrences.

Aside from key security failures, the handling of the victim's complaint was severely mismanaged. An email complaint sent by the victim in January 2023, addressed to chief executive Jo Boydell and other officials, was processed by her office without her knowledge and did not reach Boydell until March 2026. Furthermore, the complaint was investigated by a manager who was himself criticized within it, and customer services merely offered a room refund understood to be thirty pounds.

Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event

"I apologise unreservedly on behalf of Travelodge to all guests where we have failed."

Ray Reidy, Travelodge Interim Chief Executive

Amid intense scrutiny and criticism over the company's handling of safety issues, Jo Boydell stepped down from her role as chief executive in August. This followed a direct intervention by then-Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who urged the company to seriously engage with the government on security matters. Ray Reidy, the interim chief executive, subsequently issued a formal apology and affirmed the company's commitment to implementing all necessary safety investments.