A man in the United Kingdom has pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including rape, robbery and hate-related offences, after a violent home invasion targeting a Sikh woman in Walsall, a court has heard.

Birmingham Crown Court rape case (Walsall 2025) was told that 32-year-old John Ashby, of no fixed address, admitted to the offences on the second day of his trial after initially denying the charges.

The court heard the attack took place in October 2025, when the victim was followed home after getting off a bus in Walsall. Prosecutors say Ashby forced entry into her home armed with a wooden object, after which the woman attempted to hide in a bathroom before the door was allegedly forced open.

He is accused of assaulting the woman with a weapon, strangling her, and carrying out a sexual assault before stealing her jewellery and mobile phone.

Court proceedings heard that Ashby directed racist and Islamophobic abuse at the victim, mistakenly believing she was Muslim, and made repeated comments of a degrading nature during the attack.

Prosecutors said he also forced the victim to repeat words and referred to himself in a dominant role during the assault. He was arrested two days later following a police investigation.

Police told the court that Ashby also made further hateful remarks during questioning, including comments about the victim’s religious attire.

The judge described Ashby as a dangerous offender, and said he faces a possible life sentence. Sentencing is expected to be delivered later this week.

The case is being treated as both a violent sexual assault and a hate crime.