A weekend meant for celebration turned into a nightmare for a couple visiting the Captain’s Club Hotel in Christchurch, Dorset. Samantha Williamson, a former Miss Europe contestant and ex-model, transformed a serene riverside evening into chaos, leaving the victims and onlookers shocked.
A Glamorous Past
Once a catwalk model signed to Storm, the agency behind supermodels like Kate Moss and Cara Delevingne, Williamson enjoyed a life filled with travel, luxury, and high-profile pageants.
Photos from her social media show her sipping champagne at Mediterranean-style villas and posing in designer sunglasses in Morocco.
She was married to a wealthy American stockbroker and lived the jet-set life of a top model.
A Night Out Gone Wrong
The couple’s £1,200 getaway in June last year to celebrate a 40th anniversary and the husband’s recovery from throat cancer turned terrifying when Williamson, reportedly over-refreshed, approached them at the hotel’s bar.
She climbed onto the husband’s lap, made lewd comments, and became aggressive when rebuffed.
Drinks and candles were swiped off the table, spilling onto his wife, and a physical scuffle ensued.
Williamson spat and scratched the man, leaving him injured.
Legal Outcome and Controversy
Despite the severity of the incident, police escorted Williamson home rather than arresting her on the spot.
She was later charged with sexual assault rather than physical assault.
Magistrates sentenced her to a six-month community order and ordered her to pay £1,000 in compensation, a ruling that left the victim, Steven Kennedy, outraged.
Kennedy, a 59-year-old HGV driver from west London, spoke candidly about the trauma and injustice he feels.
Turbulent Personal Life
Williamson’s life has been marked by personal challenges.
She moved to America to marry a stockbroker, gave up her career, and had a son.
After her first marriage ended, she remarried and had a daughter, only for that relationship to collapse as well.
Her later relationship with a man with a criminal record reportedly contributed to the night’s events.
Her lawyer described her as a vulnerable woman battling day-to-day mental health issues, with alcohol being a particular weakness.
Victim’s Perspective
Steven Kennedy shared his emotional account of the assault.
He described being forced onto his lap, physically attacked, and spat upon while his wife watched helplessly.
He called the experience humiliating and traumatising, highlighting that he believes a man committing the same acts would have faced far harsher treatment from police and the courts.
A Life in Disarray
Williamson admitted remorse, saying she wants to move on and rebuild her life.
She has undergone counselling, but the incident has severely tarnished her reputation and added to her personal struggles.
For the couple, what should have been a joyful celebration has left lasting emotional scars.
Systemic Concerns
Kennedy also criticised the police and justice system for their handling of the case.
He expressed disbelief at how long it took for Williamson to be charged and the decision to limit the charges, arguing that the response would have been entirely different if the genders were reversed.
The Aftermath
The incident has left both victims and observers questioning how such cases are managed and the potential consequences of leniency.
For Kennedy and his wife, the trauma lingers, overshadowing what should have been a moment of relief and celebration after years of personal struggles.
