Man, 32, arrested after attacker breaks down door and rapes Punjabi woman

A 32-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of rape following a ‘racially aggravated’ attack on a Punjabi woman in her 20s.

Neighbours heard the woman scream for help during the terrifying assault in the Park Hall area of Walsall on Saturday evening.

The woman had been raped and attacked after being followed home by a man she did not know who then broke down her door, West Midlands Police said.

According to the Sikh Federation, the survivor is Punjabi and the attacker called her a ‘p*** b****’.

Police confirmed the rape was being treated as ‘racially aggravated’.

A man was arrested just before 7am today in the Perry Barr area, the force confirmed today.

Det Supt Ronan Tyrer, from the police’s Public Protection Unit, said: ‘This is a significant development in our investigation, and I’d like to thank everyone who has come forward with information following our appeal last night.

‘Our investigation will progress today, and, as always our priority is the woman who was the subject of this attack.

‘She has been updated this morning and will continue to receive full support from specially trained officers.’

Earlier, Dabinderjit Singh OBE, a lead executive for the Sikh Federation (UK) said: ‘We can now confirm from local sources the young woman that was subject to a racially aggravated rape in Walsall is a Punjabi woman.

‘This follows the racially aggravated rape of a young Sikh woman on 9 September in Oldbury.

‘The attacker apparently followed her and broke down the door of the house where she was living.

‘He was heard using the offensive P and B words during the rape.

‘A neighbour also heard her screams during the vicious attack.

The Sikh woman raped in September was attacked in grassland on Tame Road, Oldbury, in an assault also treated as racially aggravated by police.

Preet Kaur Gill MP, the Labour (Co-op) MP for Birmingham Edgbaston, posted on X: ‘Deeply shocked and saddened that we are hearing of yet another racially aggravated rape this time in Walsall.’

Police released CCTV footage of a suspect on Sunday and asked anyone who knows his identity to ring 999 immediately.

In a statement on Sunday evening, Chief Superintendent Phil Dolby said: ‘Walsall is a diverse area and we know the fear and concern that this awful attack will cause in our communities.

‘We have been speaking to people in the community today to listen to and understand their concerns and there will be an increased policing presence in the coming days.’

Police are still keen to hear from anyone who has information that could help the investigation. Call West Midlands Police on 101.

You can also upload mobile phone, CCTV, dashcam and doorbell footage to their dedicated website here.

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