British Tourist Wins £18k After Staff Knee Assault

A British tourist, Ryan Mendelson from Manchester, was awarded £18,000 after suffering a severe knee injury from an unprovoked assault by a hotel staff member in Cape Verde. The incident occurred during his holiday at Hotel RIU Touraeg when an entertainment team member kneed him in the back of the leg, causing him to fall. This led to an immediate hospital visit and subsequent surgery upon his return to the UK for a torn medial patellofemoral ligament.

Mr. Mendelson recounted the shocking event, stating it was an 'unprovoked assault' and that he suffered greatly, requiring him to delay his flight home and wear a leg brace. He further expressed dissatisfaction with Tui's handling of the situation, describing it as "scatty, arrogant and dismissive." Despite the settlement, he continues to experience pain and undergoes therapy.

RIU Hotels and Resorts apologized for the injury, attributing the incident to a "misguided attempt at a playful interaction" and stating the matter has been fully investigated and settled. Accident abroad specialist Paul Rimmer criticized the hotel chain's customer service, noting a concerning trend of inadequate care for holidaymakers experiencing emergencies abroad.