A 'dangerous' racist who raped a Sikh woman in her home because he thought she was Muslim has been sentenced to life in prison. Homeless sex attacker John Ashby, 32, subjected his victim to a horrific ordeal lasting at least 24 minutes in her Walsall residence, hurling anti-Muslim abuse throughout the attack.
Ashby initially spotted the woman on a bus as she traveled home, then followed her to her front door and barged into the property while she was upstairs in the bathroom. He shouted 'Muslim b****' at her, told her he was there to 'have fun' and wanted to 'give her some British c***'. He also demanded she say 'hallelujah' as he poured hot water over her and forced her to repeat his mantra that 'he was the master and she was a b****'.
Ashby, formerly of Stockland Green, Birmingham, initially denied charges of rape, intentional strangulation, robbery of jewellery and a mobile phone, and religiously aggravated assault occasioning actual bodily harm on October 25 last year. However, on the second day of his trial at Birmingham Crown Court on Tuesday, April 21, he changed his pleas to guilty on all counts. The change came after a dramatic day in court when Ashby was confronted by a member of the Sikh community just an hour before confessing.
On Friday, April 24, he was jailed for life with a minimum term of 14 years. Sentencing, Mr Justice Pepperall KC said Ashby's crimes reveal he is a 'deeply unpleasant racist and Islamophobic' and that there is no evidence of a serious underlying mental illness. He added: 'You pose an extreme level of danger to the public and particularly women.' Ashby showed no emotion as he was led away.
Rav Dhillon of the Crown Prosecution Service said: 'This was a deeply disturbing attack driven by religious hatred, carried out against an innocent woman in her own home – where she would expect to feel safest. The CPS worked closely with West Midlands Police to build a robust case including CCTV footage, DNA evidence, and witness testimony, leaving the defendant no choice but to plead guilty. Our thoughts are with the victim, and we hope this outcome brings her some measure of justice.'
