A 32-year-old British man has admitted aggravated religious rape and assault on a Sikh woman at her home in Walsall, but initially denied the charges during his trial.John Ashby, of no fixed address, changed his plea at Birmingham Crown Court on Tuesday and admitted responsibility for the attack in October 2025, the Mirror reported.The trial began a day earlier with the defendants challenging the charges and then changing their positions in court.Prosecutors outlined the attack after Ashby followed the woman on a bus in the Perry Barr area of Birmingham.Armed with a stick he picked up from the ground, he followed her to her residence and forced his way inside.Prosecutor Phil Bradley KC told the jury at the opening of the case that Ashby threatened and attacked the victim despite her resistance, beat her with a stick and tried to strangle her before forcing her into the bathroom.The court heard the victim did not know Ashby and was raped in her bathroom. During the attack, he hurled a series of anti-Muslim insults at her, including calling her a “fucking Muslim bastard” despite her telling him she was Sikh.In a later statement to police in court, the woman said the attacker turned off the lights and told her he wanted to “have fun” while continuing to carry out the attack.Prosecutors said Ashby then ordered the woman into the bedroom and made her lie on the bed, where he continued to make insulting comments. He also turned on hot water and poured it on her, forcing her to say “Hallelujah” in pain.The incident came to an abrupt halt when Ashby appeared to be disturbed by a noise outside the house. He fled the scene, taking the victim’s jewelry and mobile phone.The woman alerted authorities shortly after the attack, and police arrived at the scene within minutes. Body camera footage shown in court showed her in distress as police responded.Over the next few days, she identified Ashby as her attacker during an identity parade. He was arrested two days after the incident.Proceedings were briefly interrupted when a man in the public gallery approached the dock and shouted at Ashby. The defendant responded with insults before the judge dismissed the jury and adjourned the case.
