Pregnant Afghan refugee allegedly raped by cleaner at The Grange Hotel

A pregnant refugee from Afghanistan was allegedly raped by a worker at the transition accommodation hotel she is staying at in Bracknell.

A cleaner working as a contractor for the Ministry of Defence allegedly attacked the woman in her room at the Grange Hotel in the town centre on Wednesday, July 22.

The hotel is being used as transitional accommodation for around 200 people from Afghanistan who have indefinite leave to remain in the UK, and will be provided with longer-term housing throughout the country.

A Thames Valley Police spokesperson said: “We can confirm a woman reported a rape to us on July 22, which happened at The Grange Hotel in Bracknell.

“A 22-year-old man from Bracknell has been arrested on suspicion of rape.

“He has been released on police bail while the investigation continues.”

A Home Office spokesperson added: “We will not comment on an ongoing investigation.”

The government organisations involved are assisting with the enquiry.

Residents of the hotel have received support from Bracknell Forest Council.

A council spokesperson said: “We are aware of the allegations of an incident at The Grange Hotel.

“As this is an ongoing police investigation, we are unable to comment further.”

Helen Purnell (Labour, Easthampstead & Wildridings), the council leader, has contacted the council's communications department about the incident.

Councillor John Edwards, who represents Owlsmoor on Sandhurst Town Council, has gained a public profile for asking questions about the amount of public resources that are being used to support the refugees in the hotel.

This includes more than £74,000 being spent by the council on language translation services for the residents.

Asked for his reaction to the incident, cllr Edwards said: “Violence against anyone is abhorrent. The police will do a thorough investigation, and I hope the woman gets the support she needs.”

Cllr Edwards is an area campaign manager for Reform UK.

News about the incident was shared in a brief report in The Sun newspaper posted on the Reform UK Bracknell Community Page on Facebook.

The Bracknell Conservatives did not wish to comment on a live police investigation.

The Grange Hotel closed in December 2022 after operating for two decades, with the site being taken over by the Ministry of Defence in 2023/24 as transition accommodation for Afghans who had arrived in the UK through the Conservative government's resettlement schemes.

The Grange was visited by the 'auditors' Truth Hurts 101 UK and Mitch Media in May last year.

It was also the subject of the Stand Up Bracknell protest that same month, with footage uploaded onto the YouTube channel of Joe Marsh, the Wales organiser of the ethnonationalist political group Patriotic Alternative.

https://www.bracknellnews.co.uk/news/26503845.bracknell-afghan-refugee-raped-grange-hotel/