Man racially abused woman during rape, court hears

A man subjected a stranger to racist and anti-Muslim abuse as he raped her in her home, a court has been told.

John Ashby, 32, of no fixed address, is on trial at Birmingham Crown Court accused of rape, intentional strangulation, robbery and religiously aggravated assault. He denies all charges.

Opening the case against Ashby on Monday, prosecutor Phil Bradley KC said the woman was followed off a bus in Walsall in October last year.

"A complete stranger to her, John Ashby was nevertheless interested in her and had already targeted her," Bradley said.

"We know that because within seconds of her getting off the bus… to begin the short walk home, he began following her.

"She had no idea he was doing so and continued along normally."

Warning: This story contains distressing details

Bradley told the court that after the woman entered her house and went into the bathroom there, Ashby picked up a stick outside and also went into the property.

The woman attempted to lock the bathroom door after hearing a noise, but Ashby, who believed her to be a Muslim, barged his way in, the court heard.

"Once inside the bathroom he turned the light off, telling her that he was 'here to have fun'," Bradley told the jury of six men and six women.

"Despite her screams, he told her to take her clothes off, he struck her with the stick, and he put his hands around her neck to strangle her and demanded that she climb into the bathtub.

"Throughout the attack, he racially and religiously abused her."

It is alleged that Ashby asked the woman which toothbrush was hers because he wanted to clean his teeth - before exposing himself to her and performing a sex act on himself.

"He turned on the hot water tap and began pouring water over her, telling her to say 'hallelujah' as he did so," Bradley continued.

Ashby allegedly told the woman his name was John and demanded she repeat "his mantra that he was the 'master'."

The court heard that after raping the woman, Ashby instructed her to go into the bedroom and lie on the bed, saying he was there "to have fun" while referring to his private parts as being white British.

Bradley said Ashby then demanded to carry out another attack on the woman, who attempted to escape through the front door.

He alleged that Ashby dragged the woman back into the house.

The prosecution said the attack only came to an end because Ashby was "evidently spooked by a noise outside" and ran away, taking the victim's jewellery and a mobile phone.

The court heard that the woman raised the alarm and police arrived within minutes.

Bradley said there could be "no doubt" that Ashby was the man who carried out the attack, citing DNA evidence, fingerprints found on a vape left at the scene and a toothbrush found in the bathroom.

The woman also picked Ashby out as her attacker at an identity parade days later, the court heard.

Ashby was arrested in the Perry Barr area of Birmingham two days after the attack, and the court heard that when he was booked into custody he told police "you never see any Englishmen in Perry Barr anymore".

The court heard he answered "no comment" to all police questions, except when he was shown a photograph of the woman, when he asked why she was not wearing a hijab and said: "I don't know who that woman is, as far as I'm aware."

The trial continues.

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