A hotel of horrors where a young woman was brutally attacked by a ‘demonic’ killer who ‘ate her face’ is up for sale despite pleas from villagers to demolish the property.
Cerys Yemm, 22, suffered 89 injuries after Matthew Williams, 34, was seen ‘shoving a screwdriver in her face’ in his room at the Sirhowy Arms hotel in Argoed, near Caerphilly, South Wales in November 2014.
The former hotel is now up for sale after being transformed into a residential property in a bid to shed its dark past.
It is set to go under the hammer between October 4 until October 6 at a minimum opening bid of £264,000 and a guide price of £293,000 with Paul Fosh Auctions in Newport, Gwent.
Mr Fosh said it had been ‘fully renovated to a very high standard’ and boasts nine bedrooms over three floors.
The former hotel is now up for sale after being transformed into a residential property in a bid to shed its dark past
The auction house said the former hotel had been ‘fully renovated to a very high standard’
There have been calls to demolish the property but it is going up for auction next month
Cerys Yemm, 22, suffered 89 injuries after the brutal attack at the hotel in November 2014 – an inquest heard she was found with bruises, grazes, other bite marks and ‘sharp force trauma’
Matthew Williams, 34, was seen ‘shoving a screwdriver in her face’ in his room at the former Sirhowy Arms hotel in Argoed
‘Interested parties are being informed of the property’s history and most are keen to bid on it, regardless of its past.
‘It has been suggested, in some quarters, that the house be demolished due to its history but who would buy it and pay the owner the full value of the house, for that to happen?
‘If someone wishes to buy the property and demolish it then they are free to do so. In the mean-time I will act on the wishes of the owner of the house.’
The sale comes five years after a jury ruled Cerys was unlawfully killed at an inquest into her death.
‘Hannibal Lecter’ killer Williams had been released from prison just two weeks before the killing and was described by police officers as ‘demonic’.
The sale of the property comes five years after a jury ruled Cerys was unlawfully killed at an inquest into her death
Police were called to the scene and found Cerys unconscious on the floor and Williams was Tasered
The property, now known as Meadow View, is set to go under the hammer between October 4 until October 6
A selection of photos show the modern interior in the property which once had a dark past
The detached house is said to have excellent road links and ‘offers versatility and investment potential’ according to Paul Fosh Auctions
The house in South Wales boasts nine bedrooms over three floors – here the landing and stairs are pictured
He had met up with Cerys several times since his release and before the night he set upon her, leaving the shopworker with her face and neck cut open and her eyeball torn out.
Police were called to the scene and found Cerys unconscious on the floor while Williams – who was high on drugs – was Tasered four times in seven minutes by police before he became unresponsive. He later died in police custody.
An inquest jury found Williams died as a result of a ‘sudden unexpected death from a culmination of drug use and a struggle against restraint.’
The sale comes five years after a jury ruled Cerys was unlawfully killed at an inquest into her death
An inquest jury found Williams died as a result of a ‘sudden unexpected death from a culmination of drug use and a struggle against restraint’
An inquest heard Cerys was found with bruises, grazes, other bite marks and ‘sharp force trauma’ – meaning ‘cutting’ of the skin.
Landlady Mandy Miles dialled 999 after hearing screams from the room and told police she believed it was a cannibal attack.
During the call, she said: ‘He’s shoving a screwdriver in her face. He’s actually chewing her face.’
Pathologist Dr Richard Jones said her medical cause of death was sharp force trauma to the head and neck with external and internal blood loss.
The jury ruled Cerys died from sharp force trauma to the face and neck.
A petition was also launched by the family of Cerys to demolish the hotel – and was backed by Islwyn MP Chris Evans.
It said the property was ‘a constant reminder’ of the horrific event that ‘ripped the soul out of our family and affected a whole host of people’.