A Sikh woman who came to the UK seeking a better life has spoken out after being raped by a man who mistook her for Muslim. The woman, in her 20s, was targeted by predator John Ashby while on a bus. He stalked her to her Walsall home, forced his way in, and raped her in her bathroom.
Homeless Ashby hurled racist and anti-Muslim abuse as he beat her with a stick and tried to strangle her in an attack lasting at least 24 minutes. Birmingham Crown Court heard he had Hepatitis C at the time, though the victim later tested negative.
The victim bravely faced Ashby in court as he was handed a life sentence. In a statement, she said: 'What happened to me has changed every part of my life. Before, life was great. I was happy and doing well in my job. I had plans for the future. My partner and I were going to get married in India. Now, life has drastically changed.'
The court heard her 'sense of safety' was taken away. She moved from India to the UK years before the attack, hoping to build a better life. She had been adjusting to a new country, culture, and language when Ashby raped her.
The attack left her feeling isolated and struggling to talk to others. She returned to India for a month but could not open up about the assault, often crying alone. Her parents still do not know what happened, as telling them would make them feel guilty.
She had to move house immediately after the rape, saying: 'It was my safe place. This was all ripped away from me after what he did. I felt violated in my own home.' Months later, she remains hyperaware of every noise, struggles to be home alone, and suffers flashbacks and nightmares. She locks herself in her room until her partner returns from work and cannot face going to the toilet alone.
She returned to work two weeks after the attack but eventually resigned, feeling people were talking about her. Her mental health deteriorated, and she now takes medication, having suffered panic attacks that led to hospitalisation twice. She said: 'This incident has changed who I am. The impact is still with me every day.'
Ashby, formerly of Stockland Green, Birmingham, initially denied rape, intentional strangulation, robbery, and religiously aggravated assault. On the second day of his trial, he changed his pleas to guilty. The victim said: 'Hearing him plead guilty made me feel emotional. I knew I was finally free. I can go and live my life again.'
Ashby was jailed for life with a minimum term of 14 years on April 24. The victim stated: 'I refuse to let this define me. I hope we can get married.'
