The court heard that the woman became suspicious when she was asked to deliver a suitcase containing unknown items from Thailand back to the UK in June 2024.
An Indian-origin man was on Friday sentenced to 34 years’ imprisonment after being convicted of kidnap, torture and rape offences in London. Gagandeep Singh, aged 34, 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.
He will serve a 34-year sentence, comprising 28 years in custody followed by a six-year extended licence period under strict restrictions. He cannot be considered for parole until he has served at least 18 years, or two-thirds of the custodial term.
The trial heard that the victim – a 24-year-old woman – was taken to a house in Hanwell, west London, where she was subjected to prolonged torture. “The brutality of what the victim in this case faced is unimaginable,” said Detective Constable Seetara Abdul from the Metropolitan Police’s North West Rape and Serious Sexual Offences Unit, who led the investigation.
“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,” she said.
The court heard that the 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 at Birmingham Airport, she was put into a car and driven to London by masked men where Singh subjected her to rape on two occasions.
The Met Police noted that she was traumatised by the experience and initially reluctant to tell the police the full truth of what had happened.
“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,” said DC Abdul.
“We 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,” she added. 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.
“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,” said the victim, in a statement released through the police.
“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 a
ll of my doctor’s notes. She said she couldn’t rest knowing they could be doing this to other people,” she said. “At the time, I felt a deep sense of shame… 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,” she stated. In the hours after her release, she confided in her mother about her ordeal who went on to make an initial third-party report to the police. The clothing her daughter had been wearing when she was kidnapped was submitted for forensic examination and led to the arrest of Singh.
“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,” the victim’s mother said in her statement. “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,” she said.
The Met Police said it has significantly strengthened training and response to violence against women and girls (VAWG), complemented by strengthened specialist victim support services.
