"she saw a male standing at the end of the bed."
B&B worker John Guntipilli-Souriappan, aged 35, of Leeds, was jailed for three years and eight months for sexual assault.
Leeds Crown Court heard he let himself into a guest’s room, turned off the lights and sexually assaulted her.
Just minutes later, he sexually assaulted another woman as she slept next to her husband.
The ordeals were described as “like something that happens on TV and in the films” and “the stuff of nightmares.”
Clare Walsh, prosecuting, explained that the married couple booked a room in Avalon Guest House in Woodhouse as they were attending the Rod Stewart concert at the First Direct Arena on December 11, 2019.
They paid Guntipilli-Souriappan £50 for the room.
The couple returned to the guest house at around 1:15 am the next morning, had sex and went to sleep.
The woman had only been wearing a vest top and a bra when she was woken up by someone rubbing her back and thought it was her husband.
Ms Walsh explained:
“She then felt something at her feet. In a sleepy state, she thought it was her dog as she has a dog at home.
“She kicked her legs out and got up and went to the bathroom. She did not turn the light on.”
The woman returned to bed and briefly went back to sleep on her side.
She was awoken by someone rubbing her back and touching her vagina. She thought it was her husband but when she turned around, she saw him laying with his back to her.
Ms Walsh said: “Of course she knew at that stage that it could not be him.
“She woke up [her husband] and he was able to turn the light switch on.
“When the light went on, she saw a male standing at the end of the bed.”
The couple chased Guntipilli-Souriappan out of the room. They lost him but he returned to the room and asked what the problem was.
He said he would ring the manager but the victim’s husband said he was calling the police. Officers advised the couple to stay in the room with the door locked.
The B&B worker called the manager who came to the room but the couple refused to let him in.
Police found Guntipilli-Souriappan in his room, which was beside the dining room.
That afternoon, another guest informed police that Guntipilli-Souriappan had sexually assaulted her.
The woman said she returned from her work’s Christmas party at approximately 1:30 am. There was a problem with her key and she rang the manager who told her someone would let her in.
Guntipilli-Souriappan let her in before knocking her room door. The woman answered it before closing it as no one was there.
After another knock, the woman found Guntipilli-Souriappan there, speaking broken English and asking her about shouting and arguing.
The woman told him that the noise was not coming from her room as her boyfriend was not there.
The B&B worker then put his arm around her, hugged her, kissed her cheek and neck. Guntipilli-Souriappan told her he would return to the room but she told him not to.
Minutes later, Guntipilli-Souriappan entered the room with a key and turned off the lights.
The woman used her phone’s torch and she saw Guntipilli-Souriappan approaching her where he touched her thigh. His arm also brushed past her chest.
She told him to leave, which he did, and she left the B&B to stay with a friend.
CCTV footage showed Guntipilli-Souriappan walking around the guest house but the cameras were turned off between 2:05 am and 3:30 am.
It was heard that Guntipilli-Souriappan sexually assaulted the married woman as his “appetite had not been satisfied”.
He pleaded guilty to two sexual assault charges. He has two previous convictions for battery and breaching a restraining order in relation to his wife.
In mitigation, Laura Addy said her client, his wife and children left India after he was assaulted. He may have to apply for asylum to avoid deportation after serving his sentence.
Detective Inspector James Entwistle, of Leeds District CID, said:
“The two victims in these incidents have been left understandably traumatised by what Guntipilli-Souriappan did to them.”
“They would have rightfully had an expectation of privacy and security in their rooms as guests at these premises but he completely abused his position of trust to commit these offences against them for his own gratification.
“We hope the fact he has now had to answer for his actions will help to provide some degree of comfort and reassurance to them and assist their recovery from what was clearly a very disturbing experience.”
Leeds Live reported that John Guntipilli-Souriappan was jailed for three years and eight months.
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