Ahmed Fahmy jailed for rapes and sexual assaults after 16 years abusing women in hotel rooms

A hotel porter who carried out a horrifying 16-year campaign of sexual abuse against unsuspecting female guests has been jailed for a decade. Ahmed Fahmy, 46, exploited his role in North London hotels to prey on women, launching attacks that ranged from voyeurism to rape—often while his victims were asleep.

The predator, who had an unsettling foot fetish, used his privileged access as a hotel worker to enter women’s rooms undetected. Some of his victims awoke to the sickening sensation of Fahmy tickling or even licking their feet, while others endured more traumatic assaults, including rape.

One particularly harrowing incident unfolded at a hotel in Barnet, where two friends were staying overnight. One of them awoke to find Fahmy violating her in the most disturbing way. Investigators later pieced together a chilling pattern of abuse that stretched back more than a decade and a half.

Fahmy’s predatory acts came to light after a number of courageous women stepped forward last January, breaking years of silence to report the assaults. Their accounts triggered a full-scale investigation, with detectives unearthing forensic evidence that corroborated the women’s testimonies. Despite his attempts to deny the crimes, Fahmy’s guilt became undeniable.

“This man was a predator who used his job as a weapon,” said Detective Constable James Gomm, who led the investigation. “He systematically violated the trust placed in him by his employers and abused vulnerable women in places they should have felt safe.”

The case has rocked London’s hospitality sector, prompting urgent reviews of background checks and guest safety protocols in hotels. Fahmy, who resided on West Heath Drive, has now been permanently barred from working in the hospitality industry—a move many feel is long overdue.

The courtroom heard deeply moving victim impact statements, with one survivor describing how the trauma left her unable to stay in hotels again. Another spoke of anxiety, sleeplessness, and a profound sense of betrayal by an industry that failed to protect her.

“His crimes weren’t just physical—they robbed women of peace, safety, and trust,” said one advocate for survivors of sexual violence. “Many of these women lived with shame and silence for years, and they deserve more than just justice—they deserve healing.”

Fahmy’s 10-year sentence was welcomed by victims and campaigners alike, though many stressed the importance of supporting other possible survivors. DC Gomm made a heartfelt appeal to the public: “We know from experience that this type of offender rarely stops with a few victims. If you recognise this man, or experienced something similar, please come forward. You will be believed and supported.”

In the wake of Fahmy’s sentencing, women’s safety groups are calling for stronger hotel regulations, including staff surveillance and stricter room access controls. Some hotel chains are now introducing panic buttons in guest rooms and enhanced reporting lines for suspicious behaviour by staff.

As Fahmy begins his prison term, investigators continue to comb through cold cases and old staff records, determined to uncover the full extent of his depravity. Though he is finally behind bars, the scars he left will take far longer to fade.