Sikh Women’s Aid has warned that Walsall rapist John Ashby prolonged the trauma of his victim by taking the case to trial before changing his plea. The West Midlands-based charity, which supports Sikh women affected by violence, issued the statement ahead of Ashby's sentencing.
John Ashby, 32, of no fixed abode, admitted charges of rape, robbery, intentional strangulation, and religiously aggravated assault earlier this week. The change of plea came after a member of the public approached the dock and verbally abused him, telling him to “sort your sh*t out.” Ashby then asked to see his barrister and changed his pleas approximately one hour later.
His victim, a Sikh woman who was struck with a stick and racially abused during the attack in her Walsall home, was scheduled to give evidence at Birmingham Crown Court on Tuesday, April 21. However, Ashby’s guilty plea meant she did not have to testify.
Sukhvinder Kaur, chairwoman of Sikh Women’s Aid, said: “The defendant chose to proceed to trial, prolonging proceedings and contributing to the ongoing trauma experienced by the victim, only to change his plea partway through. This reflects wider concerns about how perpetrators are able to navigate the system in ways that can compound harm for survivors.”
In a broader statement, Sikh Women’s Aid said it “welcomes the guilty plea entered in the case concerning the racially aggravated rape of a Sikh woman in Walsall.” The statement noted that this case was part of a series of attacks that gained national attention, in which two women were raped and others were racially targeted across the West Midlands between August and October 2025.
“These incidents struck fear and anger across Sikh Panjabi communities in the Midlands and across the UK, with many women changing their daily routines as a result,” the statement added. “Following the attack, we acknowledge the swift and diligent response of the Public Protection Unit at West Midlands Police, whose work led to the arrest of the suspect within 24 hours. Our thoughts remain firmly with the survivor at the centre of this case. Her courage and resilience in seeking justice following such a horrific ordeal must be recognised. We now look to the sentencing hearing on Friday and expect that it reflects the severity of the harm caused and the clear danger this perpetrator poses.”
Ashby is due to be sentenced on April 24. Mr Justice Pepperall warned the defendant that he was considering imposing a life sentence.
