Racist Attacker Follows Sikh Woman Home from Bus Before Rape in Walsall
A 32-year-old man has pleaded guilty to raping a Sikh woman in Walsall after following her home from a bus in a racially motivated attack. John Ashby, of no fixed abode, admitted the charges at Birmingham Crown Court, where the court heard he targeted the victim because he thought she was Muslim.
Disturbing Details of the Attack
The court was told that on October 25 last year, Ashby boarded the same bus as the Indian-born woman in Walsall, West Midlands, after tracking her from her workplace. He initially sat upstairs but moved to the lower level where she was sitting. When she alighted to walk home, Ashby followed her to her property.
Prosecutor Philip Bradley described how Ashby picked up a stick from a wooded area, concealed it under his jacket, and forced his way into her home. The woman, in her 20s, had gone upstairs to change and was in the bathroom when she heard a noise. Ashby barged in, turned off the light, and began his assault.
Racial Abuse and Violence
Throughout the attack, Ashby racially abused the woman, calling her a "f***ing Muslim b***h" and declaring he was "the master." He strangled her, struck her with the stick, and demanded she get into the bathtub. After exposing himself and pouring hot water over her, he raped her.
Mr Bradley stated that Ashby then told her to go to the bedroom and "give her a British c***." The ordeal ended when Ashby was spooked by a noise outside and fled, taking some of her jewellery and her mobile phone.
Investigation and Arrest
The victim raised the alarm almost immediately, with neighbours rushing to her aid. West Midlands Police released CCTV footage showing Ashby pursuing the woman from the bus and trailing her along the street. DNA evidence matching Ashby was found from swabs taken from the victim, and his fingerprints were recovered from a vape left at the scene.
Ashby was apprehended in the Perry Barr area of Birmingham two days later. When in custody, he remarked to police, "you don't see English men in Perry Barr any more." He initially denied rape, intentional strangulation, robbery, and racially aggravated assault occasioning actual bodily harm but changed his pleas to guilty during the trial.
Community Impact and Police Response
Following the case, Chief Superintendent Samantha Batey of Walsall Police commented: "This was an abhorrent and violent attack on a woman, which was made all the worse by the language which Ashby used during the ordeal. We were able to get to the lady very quickly after she made contact with us, and offer her immediate support."
She added that investigators worked flat out to identify the perpetrator and support the victim, with that support continuing to this day. Police have spoken with faith and community leaders in the aftermath and remain committed to making women safer and feel safer.
Ashby will be sentenced on Friday, April 24, 2026. The court heard that the victim had a partner who resided at the property, and Ashby likely gained entry through a rear door. When shown a photograph of the victim after his arrest, Ashby questioned why she was not wearing a hijab, highlighting the racist motivation behind the attack.
