Sikh Woman Raped in Walsall after Attacker ‘thought She was Muslim’

A court heard that the Sikh woman raped in her Walsall home in a racially aggravated attack was targeted because her attacker “thought she was Muslim”.

John Ashby followed the woman off a bus before forcing his way into her home.

Prosecutors allege the 32-year-old subjected the woman to a sustained and violent attack, during which he used racist and religious abuse.

Birmingham Crown Court heard the woman had finished work and travelled to Walsall town centre before returning home.

Prosecutor Phil Bradley KC said: “A few minutes earlier, unbeknownst to her, this defendant had got on the same bus.

“He initially sat upstairs but a short while later, he moved to the lower level and that’s where the woman happened to be sitting.

“A complete stranger to her, this defendant was nevertheless interested in her and had already targeted her.

“We know that because, within seconds of her getting off the bus, at just after 6:30 pm to begin the short walk home, he did the same and then he began following her.”

The victim did not notice she was being followed and continued home as normal.

CCTV footage is said to show Ashby walking past her address before appearing on the driveway of a neighbouring property.

Mr Bradley continued: “He was doubtless assessing how he could get into her home address.”

After arriving home, the woman went upstairs and later entered the bathroom.

Mr Bradley said: “She told police that while she was there, she heard a noise downstairs.

“Because she was home alone, she had no reason to lock the bathroom door but now rushed to do so, initially thinking it was a housemate coming back.

“However, she was too late. This defendant barged his way in and so the woman’s ordeal began.”

Once inside, Ashby allegedly turned off the lights and told the woman he was there “to have fun”.

Mr Bradley continued: “Despite her screams, he told her to take her clothes off.

“He struck her with the stick that he had placed into his jacket and he put his hands around her neck to strangle her.”

The jury heard the defendant forced the woman into a bathtub. During the attack, he allegedly called her a “Muslim b****” and made further degrading remarks.

Mr Bradley said the defendant told the woman to say “hallelujah” and poured hot water over her repeatedly, while stating he was the “master”.

He is then alleged to have raped her before forcing her into a bedroom and continuing the assault.

Mr Bradley said: “He repeated that he was there to have fun and to give her some British c***, a big white c***.”

The woman attempted to escape by going downstairs, telling the defendant there was oil in the kitchen.

She ran towards the front door but was allegedly dragged back inside. After hearing a noise outside, Ashby became “evidently spooked”.

In what prosecutors described as another attempt to escape, the woman said it was her housemate. The jury heard she then screamed for help, prompting neighbours to come to her aid.

Mr Bradley said: “She was naked and she was thoroughly distressed.

“There can be no doubt that this defendant was the man who attacked the woman.”

DNA evidence recovered from the woman, as well as from items inside the property, matched the defendant.

The woman also identified Ashby in an identification parade.

Two days after the alleged attack, Ashby was arrested in Perry Barr.

During booking, he told officers:

“You never see any Englishmen in Perry Barr anymore.”

When later shown a photograph of the woman in an interview, he said “I don’t know who that woman is as far as I’m aware” and asked why she was not wearing a hijab.

Of the Crown’s case that the offence was religiously aggravated, Mr Bradley said:

“It was his hostility towards her, believing she was a Muslim and calling her a Muslim b**** before assaulting her.”

Ashby, of no fixed abode, denies rape, intentional strangulation, robbery, and religiously aggravated assault occasioning actual bodily harm relating to the incident on October 25, 2025.

The court heard the woman had come to the UK for work in September 2023.

Ashby had denied the charges against him but on April 21, 2026, he pleaded guilty to religiously aggravated rape and assault.