A British man, John Ashby, has been sentenced to life imprisonment for raping a Sikh woman after mistakenly believing she was Muslim. The 35-year-old admitted to the crimes earlier this week and received his sentence on Friday at Birmingham Crown Court.
Court Proceedings
During sentencing, Mr Justice Pepperall described Ashby as a “deeply unpleasant racist and Islamophobe,” according to the BBC. Ashby pleaded guilty to charges of rape, robbery, intentional strangulation, and religiously aggravated assault.
Details of the Attack
The assault occurred in October 2025 in Walsall. Ashby followed the woman, in her 20s and unknown to him, after she disembarked from a bus. He tracked her to her home and entered the property carrying a stick he had picked up from the ground.
Once inside, he struck her with the stick, attempted to strangle her, and forced her into the bathroom where he raped her. Throughout the attack, he shouted anti-Muslim abuse, even though the victim repeatedly told him she was Sikh.
Prosecutors stated that the violence continued as he forced her into a bedroom, making degrading remarks and pouring hot water over her. He also forced her to say “hallelujah” during the ordeal. The assault ended when he appeared startled by a noise outside, after which he fled, stealing jewellery and the victim’s mobile phone.
Arrest and Sentence
The woman alerted police shortly after the incident, and officers arrived within minutes. She later identified Ashby in an identity parade, leading to his arrest two days after the attack. Ashby has been ordered to serve a minimum of 14 years before being considered for parole.
