Horror at Hilton Hotel: Man bursts into woman’s hotel room and holds her captive

A terrified woman feared she was being brutally murdered after a knife-wielding criminal with a long history of violence knocked on her hotel room door and burst inside before holding her prisoner.

The woman was left fearing for her life and traumatised after convicted robber Christopher Prior suddenly appeared in front of her when she opened the door. She had been expecting a takeaway to be delivered to her room at a Hull city centre hotel.

She told the intruder: “Please don’t hurt me. I have children.” He was holding a knife but did not use it or harm the woman during her terrifying ordeal, Hull Crown Court was told.

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Prior, 39, of Hull, but recently on remand, admitted imprisonment for false imprisonment, burglary and possession of a knife. Michael Masson, prosecuting, said that on February 26 Prior entered the kitchen of an Italian restaurant in Princes Avenue, west Hull, at around 6.15pm through an open back door. “He took a kitchen knife,” said Mr Masson.

He walked into the seating area of ​​the restaurant without speaking to anyone. At 6:20 p.m., an elderly couple was at home when the husband heard the patio door open.

He walked into the kitchen and saw Prior. “He was shocked and scared,” Mr. Masson said. The man walked backwards and Prior followed. He seemed in a hurry as if someone was chasing him and he twice asked the occupant to sit down.

The man told Prior his wife had a heart condition before leaving the house. He must have had the knife with him at the time but the homeowner did not see it, the court heard.

At 6.35pm, Prior entered the Travelodge in Hull city center and walked past the hotel bar. “He carried a knife in his right hand, on the side of his body,” explained Mr. Masson.

“He placed the knife under his jacket and tried unsuccessfully to gain entry to the private kitchen. He approached the guest access door but was unable to open it.” Prior left the Travelodge in an agitated state.

He went to the DoubleTree by Hilton hotel in Ferensway, Hull, and at 7pm knocked on the door of a woman who, coincidentally, was waiting for a takeaway delivery to her room on the top floor.

She opened the door and Prior stepped past her into the room, holding a knife in his right hand. “She screamed for help,” Mr Masson said.

“The defendant told her to stop screaming and that he wasn’t going to hurt her.” Prior closed the door and the woman backed away. She told him, “Please don’t hurt me. I have children.” She was terrified and afraid of what he might do to her.

Prior told the woman he just needed a place to hide. “She told him he could stay and she would leave, but he told her to stay in the room,” Mr Masson said. “She was absolutely terrified. She thought she was about to be murdered.” Prior was holding the knife. He left the room after about three minutes and then encountered police while holding the knife.

The woman later said it was the most terrifying experience of her life and that she was traumatized by it. She has had flashbacks and experienced physical terrors and nightmares several times since the incident.

She was in therapy and her work had been affected. She didn’t know if she would be able to stay in a hotel again because she felt unsafe and was often worried.

Prior had 74 previous convictions for offences, including 43 relating to theft. He was jailed for eight years at Chester Crown Court in September 2013 for two offences of robbery and another for possession of an offensive weapon.

He was sentenced to 12 years in prison in 2018 for an offense of intentional wounding committed while he was in prison.

Nigel Clive said Prior had apologised for his actions. “Many people have been affected by his disgraceful behaviour that day,” Mr Clive said.

“He can’t take back his actions. He can do the right thing and he pleaded guilty. There can be no real mitigation for what he did. He thinks it’s shameful .”

There was no physical contact with the woman during the kidnapping incident. “No demands were made on him,” Mr Clive said. “It was terrifying. There are some worrying aspects to this offence. Fortunately no one was injured.”

Prior had been recalled to prison until 2030 after breaching his license following his release. “He had a month without drugs,” Mr Clive said. ” He is fine. »

Judge Tahir Khan KC told Prior: “There is no doubt that there was absolutely no good reason for you to be walking the streets with a knife. It has not been used. Sure, but the fact that you have it is deeply disturbing. »

Judge Khan said of the hotel incident: “You entered her room and it was clear from what she said that she was terrified, although your behavior was not directly threatening from his view.

“She certainly felt she was going to be killed and that was a completely understandable reaction. You didn’t mean to hurt him. You stayed in his room for about three minutes.

“It must have been a terrible time for her, and then you left. The trauma she suffered includes fear for her life and flashbacks. It was a fairly serious offense of kidnapping.

“The length of detention was not long but the fact that this victim was in an enclosed space must have been terrifying and she was clearly significantly affected by your behaviour.”

Prior was jailed for three years.