A young woman who came forward to police after being subjected to a horrific attack is being praised for her bravery as the evil perpetrator is sentenced to 34 years. Isleworth Crown Court heard how the victim, a 24-year-old woman, was asked to deliver a suitcase containing unknown items from Thailand back to the UK in June 2024.
As she refused, once she landed back at Birmingham Airport, she was bundled into a car and driven to London by masked men. She was dropped off at a home in Hanwell where she was subjected to horrific and prolonged torture, including by Gagandeep Singh, who went on to rape her on two occasions.
The twisted rapist held her captive for more than a day and physically tortured her. The court heard she was punched, beaten, stripped, whipped, burnt and raped - and threatened not to tell anyone what had happened.
The court heard how the victim was hesitant to report the brutal crime - but supported by her mum and Met officers, the young woman was able to bring her attacker to justice.
The 34-year-old was found guilty of two counts of rape, false imprisonment, causing grievous bodily harm with intent and kidnap following a trial in February. Today (June 12), Singh of Heathfield Road, Wandsworth, was sentenced to 34 years, comprising 28 years in custody followed by a 6-year extended licence period, and will not be considered for parole until he has served at least 18 years (two-thirds of the custodial term) and the extended licence, after which he will be deported with no right of re-entry.
The court heard how hours after her release, the victim confided in her mum that she had been a victim, but could not disclose the extent of her ordeal. It would be a further six more weeks until she felt able to provide a full account to officers.
Crucially, the clothing she had been wearing when she was attacked had been kept aside at her home, allowing forensic examination. The results came back with a one-in-a-million positive DNA match for Singh, who was in prison on remand for an unrelated offence at the time.
As he was handed his sentence, the victim said in a statement: "I never wanted to contact the police. It felt daunting. I was left thinking that if I did, I could be putting myself and the people around me in danger.
"It was my mum who never gave up. She believed going to the police was the right thing to do. She kept my clothes as evidence and saved all of my doctor’s notes. She said she couldn’t rest knowing they could be doing this to other people.
"At the time, I felt a deep sense of shame. I have always been someone who stands firm in my decisions, with a strong sense of self, and I didn’t want to lose that.
"My friends and family supported me throughout everything. They made sure I never lost the strength to keep going, and for that I am truly grateful.
"To anyone who has experienced abuse, sexual or otherwise, please remember this: we are not the ones who should carry shame. We survive, and we go on to live again."
Her mother also said: "Firstly, I would like to thank the Metropolitan police, namely DC Seetara Abdul, PC Grace Wilson and PC Destoni Peters for the support and commitment, as well as the CPS, Chloe from the Havens and everyone else who has helped and worked hard to ensure that justice is served so that my daughter can have closure.
"When I contacted the Metropolitan Police, they responded with professionalism and sensitivity and reassured me that I could report this too as a third-party. Despite my daughter initially not wishing to proceed. They took my concerns seriously and continued to investigate due to the seriousness of the offences.
"As a family, we are grateful for all the support provided. Their actions have given us a sense of closure, and we are reassured that a dangerous individual has now been removed from the streets."
Detective Constable Seetara Abdul, from the North West Rape and Serious Sexual Offences Unit, who led the investigation said: "The brutality of what the victim in this case faced is unimaginable. She has shown immense bravery in coming forward and helping us ensure her attacker faces justice. The cruel level of control left her fearing for her life. Threats were made to try and silence her, but the support of her mum and the diligent care shown by the officers investigating her case meant we were able to apprehend and charge an extremely dangerous individual.
"We know how difficult and daunting it can be for women who have been the victim of this sort of traumatising attack to come forward and share the amount of information required to secure a successful conviction. In this case, a team of supportive female officers focused on prioritising engagement that moved at the victim’s pace, allowing her the time to begin to trust the officers and giving her the space to tell her story.
"We want to thank her for that trust and for the patience, bravery and determination she has shown throughout this investigation and the trial that followed. Her courage in the face of such awful crimes is a testament to her hugely impressive strength and resilience."
