Man Admits Raping Sikh Woman in Walsall Home After Following Her From Bus
Ashby changed plea on second day of trial, admitting attack involving religious abuse and racist statements
Quick Look
- A man has admitted raping a Sikh woman in her Walsall home in October 2025 after following her from a bus.
- Ashby entered her property armed with a stick, attacked her in the bathroom, and subjected her to anti-Muslim abuse, wrongly believing her to be of that faith.
- He made racist comments during the attack, including referring to his private parts as 'white British'.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
This case involves a violent hate crime with religious and racial elements. The victim was targeted based on her appearance, with the perpetrator mistakenly believing she was Muslim. The attack included multiple forms of physical violence and psychological torment.
A man has admitted he raped a Sikh woman in her home while subjecting her to a tirade of religiously aggravated abuse, changing his plea on the second day of his trial after facing verbal abuse in the dock.
He had denied the charges against him, but on Tuesday admitted he was responsible for the attack in Walsall in October 2025.
He asked to speak to his barrister about an hour after proceedings were interrupted by a member of the public who approached the dock and swore at the accused.
The woman's ordeal began last autumn when Ashby followed her as she got off a bus. Unbeknownst to her, he entered her property armed with a stick he had picked up from the ground.
At the opening of the case, the jury was told how on hearing a noise inside her home, the woman - a stranger to Ashby - tried to lock herself in the bathroom, but he barged his way in and went on to rape her.
"Once inside the bathroom he turned the light off, telling her that he was 'here to have fun'," prosecutor Phil Bradley KC said.
The court heard that during the attack, Ashby subjected his victim to a tirade of anti-Muslim abuse, wrongly believing her to be of that faith.
During a police interview, when shown a photograph of the victim and asked whether he knew her, he asked why she was not wearing a hijab, the jury was told on Monday.
When booked into custody in a police station in Perry Barr, he stated "you never see any Englishmen in Perry Barr anymore", the court heard.
Recounting the woman's ordeal on Monday, Bradley said: "Despite her screams, he told her to take her clothes off, he struck her with the stick, and he put his hands around her neck to strangle her and demanded that she climb into the bathtub.
"He turned on the hot water tap and began pouring water over her, telling her to say 'hallelujah' as he did so."
The court heard that Ashby told the woman his name was John and demanded she repeat "his mantra that he was 'the master'."
The prosecution said that after raping the woman, Ashby instructed her to go into the bedroom and lie on the bed, saying again he was there "to have fun" while referring to his private parts as being white British.
The court heard the attack only came to an end because Ashby was "evidently spooked by a noise outside" and ran away, taking the victim's jewellery and a mobile phone.
Open Questions
- What is Ashby's full name?
- What sentence will he receive?
- What support is the victim receiving?
