The chilling moments before a brutal attack are revealed in newly released CCTV footage. It shows a man, later identified as John Ashby, deliberately following a woman off a public bus, a sinister intent already visible in his actions.
Ashby, 32, has now been sentenced to life in prison, with a minimum term of 14 years, after pleading guilty to a religiously aggravated rape. The case unfolded with harrowing details, painting a picture of a calculated and hateful assault.
The court heard how Ashby specifically targeted the woman after spotting her on the bus last October. He tracked her on foot to her home in Walsall, meticulously planning the terrifying ordeal that would follow.
Disturbing body-worn footage from police officers showed the immediate aftermath of the attack, the young woman visibly traumatized and receiving comfort. Through tears, she recounted the attacker’s venomous slurs, revealing the religiously motivated nature of the crime.
“He had a stick in his hand,” she told police in a video interview. “I said ‘who are you’ and I started screaming.” The attacker extinguished the lights, and his hateful words escalated, falsely accusing her of being a “Muslim bitch” even after she identified herself as Sikh.
Prosecutors presented irrefutable evidence linking Ashby to the crime. DNA evidence, fingerprints found on a vape, and a positive identification by the victim in a police lineup left no room for doubt.
The CCTV footage was crucial, not only placing Ashby near the scene but also showing him acquiring the two-foot-long stick used in the assault. This detail underscored the premeditation and violence of his actions.
A dramatic scene unfolded in court when Ashby audibly dismissed the prosecution’s evidence as “bullshit.” A member of the Sikh community, deeply affected by the case, confronted him directly from the public gallery, delivering a powerful rebuke.
The judge acknowledged the outburst as an “ugly incident,” but it underscored the profound impact of Ashby’s crimes and the outrage felt by the community. The sentencing brings a measure of justice, but the scars of this horrific attack will undoubtedly remain.
