Victim grateful to stranger who came to her aid

AN attack victim has thanked the stranger who came to her aid after she was assaulted in her room at a hotel.

Jennifer Smith comforted the “screaming” woman and summoned help following the incident at Slaley Hall Hotel on Sunday.

Now the victim has sent her a message of thanks as the hunt for her attacker continues.

Jennifer, who went to investigate after being woken by the sound of screaming, told The Chronicle how she took the bleeding 36-year-old into her room as she waited for police to arrive.

However, after leaving the hotel she remained worried about the victim she had helped and what happened to her.

Now, after a mutual friend put them in touch on Facebook, they have exchanged messages.

Jennifer has told of her relief at hearing from the stricken stranger.

The 35-year-old said:

“She was lovely. She has said ‘thank you’ and said if I had not been there she could have died. I burst into tears when she said that.”

Jennifer was supposed to be enjoying a relaxing night away with her partner at the luxurious hotel near Hexham when she was woken by the distressed woman at around 5am on Sunday.

After hearing screams outside her first-floor room, she went to investigate and found a terrified woman bleeding in the corridor.

Jennifer hit the fire alarm to summon

help before taking the stranger into her room to comfort her as police were called.

However, when officers arrived at the room where the woman appeared to have been attacked her assailant was gone.

Jennifer believes he jumped out of the window.

The bride-to-be, who runs a party shop in Consett, County Durham, stayed with the woman as police searched the grounds of Slaley Hall while other guests were told to stay inside their rooms.

Jennifer, who has been a victim of domestic violence in a previous relationship, said she could not stop thinking about the woman after checking out of the hotel.

She has now passed her phone number on to the victim and has offered to support her as she recovers from her terrible ordeal.

She added: “I told her what I had gone through in the past.

“I said if you ever need a chat we can meet up for a coffee.”

Officers are still hunting the attacker.

A Northumbria Police spokeswoman said: “Shortly after 2.35am on Sunday morning we received a report of a domestic assault at Slaley Hall.

“Officers attended the scene and found the victim, a 36-year-old woman, with injuries to her head and face.

“The suspect, a 31-year-old male, had already fled the scene on foot.

“Officers searched the premises and wider area with the help of the National Police Air Service and enquiries to trace him remain ongoing.”

Jennifer Smith

Slaley Hall