Man admits religiously aggravated rape of Sikh woman after he followed her home

LocalPolitics
21 Apr 2026 • 11:37 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

Man admits religiously aggravated rape of Sikh woman after he followed her home

  • John Ashby, 32, has pleaded guilty at Birmingham Crown Court to the religiously aggravated rape and assault of a Sikh woman in Walsall.
  • Ashby attacked the victim in October 2025, following her off a bus and entering her home while she was upstairs.
  • He initially denied the charges against him but admitted responsibility for the attack on Tuesday.
  • The attacker used religious slurs, calling the woman a 'bloody Muslim b***h' and claiming to be a 'British master', despite her identifying as Sikh.
  • The victim recounted to police that she was raped in a bathroom by the intruder, who was armed with a piece of wood.

IN FULL