Get the Echo newsletter - it has never been more important to stay informed Sign me up now Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

A £3,500 sex robot was damaged after it was molested and "roughly treated" by people during an electronics fair in Austria, according to its developer.

The robot - which reacts to the touch and voice of users - went to market this summer and gained huge media attention, helping drive sales.

Arran Lee Squire, 36, from Holyhead, North Wales, spent nearly four years working with creator Dr Sergi Santos on the hyper-realistic sex doll - which uses AI to interact with users.

The doll - which appeared with Arran on This Morning - is now on sale at sex shops and he says it can be used by couples to spice up their love lives.

(Image: publicity picture)

And the coverage of their work saw the doll attracting considerable interest at the Arts Electronica Festival in Linz.

This was fine when Arran and Sergi were present at the show for two days but, according to the Daily Post, "Samantha" was damaged by "barbarians" when she was left on display on the final day.

Arran said: "There was so much interest at the festival, people were really interested in how she worked, especially after all the media attention she has received. We were there for two days and everything was fine, but then had to leave on the last day and she was left just on display.

(Image: ITV/THIS MORNING)

"When we got her back, it was clear she had been roughly treated which is not how she should be handled, she should be treated with respect.

"There was damage to the neck and mouth, my business partner described these people as 'barbarians'. This is not how she should be treated, she has sensors all over her body and needs a gentle touch.

(Image: publicity picture)

"I think people have just become over-excited and treated her like a sex doll. She isn't a sex doll, she is a robot with AI. We have been able to repair her so she is okay."

He said the media interest has generated additional sales, with couples and older people among those who have bought them. He added that the most sales were to single men.

(Image: Publicity Picture)

Arran, whose firm is called Synthea Amatus, said people have dubbed them “strange” and “perverts” for the project. But the dad-of-two hit back at his critics and said his wife Hannah Nguyen has always been supportive.

He said: “We get some strange reactions when we tell people what we are doing but we are not perverts and these dolls are not for perverts. They can be used for normal professional couples."

They are now working on a male version.