'Exceptionally brave survivor' of Walsall racially-aggravated rape praised for 'strength' as attacker jailed
Sikh Woman’s Aid have praised the survivor of a racially-aggravated rape in Walsall for her ‘ strength, dignity and resilience ‘ in bringing her attacker to justice.
The survivor of a racially-aggravated rape in Walsall has been praised for her ‘strength, dignity and resilience ‘ in bringing her attacker to justice.
John Ashby, aged 32, armed with a large stick found a way to get into the woman's home before subjecting her to a terrifying racially-motivated ordeal during which she was struck, raped, strangled and assaulted, during which he verbally abused her.
Today (April 24), at Birmingham Crown Court, he was jailed for a total of 13 years and six months for the religiously aggravated rape and assault and must remain behind bars before being considered for release by the parole board.
Now, the survivor of this horrific ordeal has been praised for her bravery and strength by a West Midlands organisation that works to support Sikh women who have been the victim of violence.
In a statement, Sikh Women’s Aid, who worked to support the victim, said the organisation “welcomes the life sentence handed to John Ashby following his guilty plea for the racially aggravated rape of a Sikh woman in Walsall” as the case “caused fear, outrage and deep distress across the community in West Midlands, especially South Asian women and girls living in the region.”
Chair, Sukhvinder Kaur, also praised the survivor for her “courage” in the case that had a “lasting impact not only on the victim survivor, but on an entire community of women of color, who saw their sense of safety and freedom impacted in her experience. “
She said: “At the centre of this case is an exceptionally brave survivor whose strength, dignity and resilience have been extraordinary.
“She has fought relentlessly for justice while enduring the trauma of the criminal justice process and the weight of public attention surrounding this case. Her courage has been remarkable.
“She now wishes to return to her life, to recover, to rebuild and to move forward after this ordeal. Sikh Women’s Aid asks that her privacy and anonymity are respected fully so she can do so with dignity, safety and peace.”
The Crown Prosecution Service also praised the victim for her courage in the case.
Senior Crown Prosecutor Rav Dhillon from 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 had every right to be and feel safe.
"John Ashby targeted a complete stranger, subjected her to prolonged violence and religiously motivated abuse, and left her traumatised. The CPS worked closely with West Midlands Police to present a robust case based on CCTV footage, DNA evidence, and witness testimony. The fact Ashby initially denied these charges before changing his plea part-way through the trial reflects the strength of the evidence against him.
"We invited the court to treat the religious hostility shown throughout this offending as an aggravating feature. No one should be subjected to violence and hatred because of their background – perceived or otherwise.
“Our thoughts remain with the victim, who showed remarkable courage, and we hope today’s sentencing brings her some measure of justice.”
Dabinderjit Singh OBE, a Lead Executive at the Sikh Federation (UK) said:“Justice Pepperall has shown courage by handing down a life sentence to racist John Ashby that matches his crime. He described him as a very dangerous man.”
“The severe racist element of the attack has been highlighted in the court proceedings and sends a strong signal to all racists that carry out violent attacks.
“The sentence of at least 21 years is the least the court could do to help the victim through this trauma.”