Hotel worker guilty of string of sexual assaults

A hotel worker has been convicted for string of sex assaults after Met detectives gained the trust of four women he had attacked.

Within hours of receiving separate reports of rape and sexual assault relating to Ahmed Fahmy on 21 January 2024, detectives launched an investigation and arrested him.

Following a two week trial, Ahmed Fahmy, 45 (17.01.79) of West Heath Drive, NW11 was found guilty of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault at Hendon Magistrates Court on Thursday, 25 July. He will be sentenced at the same court on 20 September.

Detective Constable James Gomm, who led the investigation, said: “Fahmy displayed a clear pattern of offending where he abused his position as a hotel worker to get close to his victims and carry out his crimes.

“I want to commend all the victim-survivors for the courage they have shown throughout this investigation. Some of the offences in this case happened a number of years ago and some victim-survivors felt more able to support the investigation now that time had passed since their initial reports.

“I do not underestimate for a moment the impact that reliving what happened will have had on those victim-survivors and I want thank them for supporting this investigation. Your bravery has helped put a sexual offender behind bars and protect other women.

“There may be other victims of Fahmy and, if so, I would urge them to get in contact with police immediately – you will be listened to and provided with support.”

On 19 January 2024 four women had travelled to London and were staying in a hotel in Golders Green where Fahmy worked. The group were separated on a night out and three of the women made their way back to the hotel in the early hours of the morning. When they arrived they realised their friend who had become separated had the room key.

Fahmy claimed he did not have another key for the room in which they had all being staying so demanded that one of the women withdraw £80 from a nearby cashpoint so that she could stay in a different room.

The woman complied and Fahmy let her into a separate room. She removed her shoes but remained otherwise fully dressed and got into bed. Sometime later, the woman was awakened by Fahmy licking her foot. She told him no and to go away.

Fahmy initially left the room but the woman was woken a second time by Fahmy doing a similar thing. She kicked him and again said no.

The fourth member of the group arrived back at the hotel later in the morning. She told Fahmy she has lost her room key while out. Fahmy manoeuvred her into his bedroom where he raped her.

Later in the morning on 20 January, the group moved hotel.

On 21 January, police were called to Regents Park where a member of park staff had found the woman distressed after she had again become separated from her friends. She could not tell the police where the new hotel was so officers planned to take her back to her original hotel where they hoped to find contact details for her friends.

As they were walking towards their police car, the woman started crying and told the officers that she could not return to the hotel as the manager had raped her.

Officers took an initial account from her and subsequently arrested Fahmy on suspicion of rape.

The other member of the group who Fahmy sexually assaulted earlier also reported what had happened to her to police.

Over the course of their investigation, detectives uncovered and linked him to two other non-recent sexual assaults, which largely centred on Fahmy touching women’s feet. In one of these matters Fahmy was arrested and no further action was taken. In another case Fahmy was accused of touching a victim-survivors feet in a room at a hotel he was working at in Canning Town. Officers approached the victims in these cases and all agreed they wanted to support the current police investigation.

All of the victim-survivors in this case were given specialist support by officers throughout the investigation and court process.

Read more about the Met’s commitment to tackling crimes that affect women and girls across London: VAWG action plan: Our 10 commitments | Metropolitan Police

= Details of convictions:

Rape of a woman on 20 January 2024 at the Anchor Guest Hotel, West Heath Drive, NW11;
Sexual assault of a woman on 20 January 2024 at the Anchor Guest Hotel, West Heath Drive, NW11;
Sexual assault of a woman on 31 March 2022 at the Sunborn Yacht Hotel, Western Gateway, E16;
Sexual assault of a woman on a date between 1 January and 31 December 2008 at Alliance Close, Wembley.