Pants-sniffer jailed over “sordid” event

Karim Bourouba

By Cara Sulieman

A GUN toting drunk who demanded a teenage girl’s pants so he could sniff them has been jailed for a year.

Karim Bourouba, 29, subjected the 16-year-old girl to the terrifying ordeal after downing two bottles of champagne and half a bottle of vodka before stumbling upon the girl and her 19-year-old boyfriend as they camped at an Edinburgh beauty spot.

The terrified pair handed over the girl’s pants to Bourouba – who was wielding an imitation handgun he had bought from the internet – before watching as he sniffed them.

Bourouba – who had spent the day drinking at a work party – then forced the couple on a walk around Edinburgh hunting for cigarettes.

Bizarre hotel lost and found

By Cara Sulieman

FORGETFUL hotel guests have been raising eyebrows as they leave bizarre items in their rooms.

Travelodge staff found a cardboard cut out of Lenny Henry, keys to a Porche 911, a pet lizard and a friend.

Of the top ten, three were left in Scotland’s hotel rooms including Humphrey the lizard who was left behind at the hotel’s Glasgow branch when his owners packed up their car and went home.

A few hours later they returned for the deserted reptile who was thankful to finally be going home.

And a cardboard cut out of the Comic Relief champion Lenny Henry was left behind in a hotel room in Dumfries – but was never claimed.

With the comedian starring in an advert for Premier Inn it may have been a tip off on how much he enjoyed his night at the rival budget chain.

Topping the UK wide list was a Centurion Card, also known as the American Express Black Card, which is the most exclusive credit card in the world with an annual fee of £1,800.

The rich owner of the card stayed in the Heathrow Central Travelodge and jetted off without it.

And it wasn’t the only symbol of wealth that was misplaced in the budget chain, the well off also left behind keys to a Porche 911, a set of Maruman golf clubs and a diamond Rolex watch.

Although a barrage of odd items were found by bemused hotel staff across the country, they also came across items that are considered common – but still raise a few eyebrows.

Artificial limbs, false teeth and adult toys pop up in rooms quite frequently along with laptops and mobile phones.

Edinburgh’s Travelodge was home to an abandoned teapot and inflatable sheep in 2008, as well as the more usual wooden leg and false teeth.

And in Glenrothes someone had stashed £1000 cash under their mattress for safekeeping – before leaving without it.

Toni Morris-Ditty, Travelodge Regional Operations Director thinks that the list reflects the effect of the credit crunch on people’s travel choices.

He said: “The 2008 findings emphasise how many cash rich customers regularly stay with us. With money tighter for everyone this year, we are seeing more people than ever switching to us from upmarket hotels.

“Each year our Lost and Found departments provide plenty of revelations and demonstrate what a cross section of people stay with us.”

Other unusual lost property included a suitcase full of souvenirs from around the world in Stains, and a show jumping horse in Droitwich.

In Worcester a group of friends left one of the party behind before rushing back to collect their mate.

Last year six and a half million people stayed in Travelodge’s across the country.