Judge should hand down life sentence to man who raped Sikh woman

Birmingham – 23 April 2026

John Ashby will be sentenced tomorrow after he pleaded guilty in Birmingham Crown Court on Tuesday for religiously aggravated rape of a Sikh woman in Walsall in October last year.

On Tuesday he was warned by the judge, Justice Pepperall he could face life in jail for rape, robbery, intentional strangulation and religiously aggravated assault.

Dabinderjit Singh OBE, a Lead Executive at the Sikh Federation (UK) said:

“Although the victim was spared the ordeal of giving evidence when Ashby changed his plea to guilty the judge should not show any leniency for the horrific attack.

“The vicious attack took place in the victim’s home. Those that have watched the video footage from the bus and read details of the attack have been horrified as Ashby chose a victim that was a complete stranger.

“The racial hatred and hostility towards the Sikh victim is a fact that should not be overlooked by the judge when sentencing.

“Ashley’s repeated reference to being “white” and “superior” during the attack and his ignorance about the racial and religious identity of the Sikh victim is critical when sentencing.”

Police have called the violent incident “abhorrent” made all the worse by the “language” used by Ashby during the victims ordeal.

The sentencing tomorrow is an opportunity for this to be front page news and covered on mainstream TV news channels.

ENDS

Jaspal Singh Lead Executive Sikh Federation (UK)