Locations
Heathfield Road, Wandsworth, London, SW18
Description
Detectives have praised a woman for the immense courage she showed in giving evidence after being raped and tortured, leading to her attacker being sentenced to 34 years.
Gagandeep Singh, 34, (19.11.91), of Heathfield Road, Wandsworth was found guilty in February of two counts of rape, false imprisonment, causing grievous bodily harm with intent and kidnap following a trial at Isleworth Crown Court.
Singh appeared at the same court today – Friday, 12 June. He will serve a 34-year sentence, 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 the victim – a 24-year-old woman – became suspicious when she was asked to deliver a suitcase containing unknown items from Thailand back to the UK in June 2024.
She refused and when she arrived back at Birmingham Airport, she was put into a car and driven to London by masked men. She was taken to a house in Hanwell where she was subjected to prolonged torture, including by Singh, who would go on to rape her on two occasions.
Understandably traumatised by the experience, she was initially reluctant to tell the police the full truth of what had happened. Supported by her mum and by the patience and consistent engagement shown by specialist Met officers, she slowly and bravely built the confidence to pursue justice at her own pace.
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.”
After being subjected to more than a day of torture including being punched in the face, beaten, stripped, whipped, burnt and raped, the victim was released by her captors. She was threatened and warned not to tell anyone what had happened.
In the hours after her release, she bravely told her mum that she had been the victim of an attack but could not bring herself to disclose the full extent of her ordeal. Her mum made an initial third party report to the police but the victim did not feel able to take it further.
It would be around six more weeks before the victim would feel strong enough, supported by her mum and officers, to provide a full account.
Crucially, the clothing she had been wearing when she was kidnapped had been kept aside at her home so it could be sent for forensic examination. This was submitted for examination by DC Abdul and it revealed a one in a million positive DNA match for Singh who by that point was in prison on remand for an unrelated offence.
He was arrested and interviewed. He answered no comment to all questions but the evidence against him, not least the DNA match and the victim’s testimony, was enough to secure charges.
The victim of Singh’s crimes has bravely released 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.”
The victim's mother, who continued to push for justice, 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.”