Man pleads guilty of raping a Sikh woman 'he thought was Muslim' in Walsall

George Bunn
Tue, 21 Apr 2026 14:09:53 +0000

A man has pleaded guilty to raping a Sikh woman who he "thought was a Muslim".

John Ashby, of no fixed abode, attacked the victim in Walsall in October after following her off a bus and entering her home while she was upstairs.

He had initially denied the charges against him, but on Tuesday admitted he was responsible for the attack in October 2025 on the second day of his trial.

Extracts from body-worn police footage showing the woman, who cannot be identified, were played to a jury of six men and six women on Tuesday, during which she was comforted by a female officer and said her attacker had called her a "bloody Muslim b****".

TRENDING

Stories

Videos

Your Say

The woman, said by witnesses to have been hysterical while repeatedly screaming, told police she had been raped in a bathroom by the intruder, who was armed with a piece of wood and claimed to be a "British master".

The court heard how he demanded she say "hallelujah" and "repeat his mantra" that "he was the master and she was a b****".

In a video interview played to the court, the complainant told police: "He had a stick in his hand. I said 'who are you' and I started screaming. He switched off the light. He said 'I just want fun with you'. He said 'you are a f****** Muslim b****, I said I am not a Muslim, I am a Sikh.'"

The woman also told police the man was initially aggressive and had continuously verbally abused her but then became calm.

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS

Labour’s biggest union donor cosies up to Nigel Farage in secret meeting

Ministers could be forced to intervene in Birmingham if 'mad' Green-Gaza coalition seizes power

'Car cannibals' plead guilty to stripping parts from 98 vehicles in 'meticulous' crime spree

As the video interview was being played to the jury, a man left the public gallery and approached the glass-fronted dock and swore at Ashby.

Ashby responded by telling the man to "get the f*** out of my face" and also shouted at another member of the public who had remained seated in the public gallery.

Trial judge Mr Justice Pepperall adjourned the case, sending the jury away for a lunch break.

Following the break, the trial resumed without Ashby in the dock.

The judge told the court: "You will notice that the dock is empty. Defendants obviously have a right to attend their trial and Mr Ashby has voluntarily chosen to exercise his right not to come up into the courtroom this afternoon.

"He is represented by counsel. They are in a position to continue. I’m asked by the defence to continue.

"Please don’t speculate further as to why he is not here - it is the evidence that you will need to focus on."

However, just 10 minutes later, the judge said a further adjournment was needed. When the jury of six men and six women returned just before 3pm this afternoon, Ashby had changed his pleas.

More to follow...