Sikh community offers £10,000 reward in racially motivated Oldbury rape case

A £10,000 reward has been offered by the Sikh community for information leading to the arrest and conviction of suspects in a racially motivated rape in Oldbury, a market town in the Midlands. The attack occurred in broad daylight on September 9, with police describing the assault as racially motivated. The victim, a woman in her 20s, was assaulted on Tame Road around 8:30 a.m. and was heard being told, “you don't belong in this country, get out.”

The Sikh Federation UK announced the reward and released a community poster campaign urging members of the public with dash cam, CCTV and doorbell camera footage to contact West Midlands Police. Specialist detectives have examined hundreds of hours of CCTV and forensic teams are carrying out extensive inquiries. A man in his 30s was arrested last Sunday on suspicion of rape and has been bailed pending further inquiries.

Ch Supt Kim Madill, the policing commander for the Sandwell area, said: “This is a key time for people going to work or school and we need your help if you saw anything that may assist our inquiries. The victim, a young woman in her 20s, is at the heart of our inquiries and we continue to support her and keep her updated on developments. We again appeal to anyone in the area where we are today who may have seen two white men around the time of 8.30am. One had a shaved head and a heavy build and was reported to be wearing a dark coloured sweatshirt and had gloves on. The second man was reportedly wearing a grey top with a silver zip.”

In the wake of the attack, dozens of people attended an emergency meeting at a Sikh temple in Smethwick. Jas Singh, principal adviser to the Sikh Federation (UK), said: “In the context of the climate, it makes it even more worrying because there is a trend of hatred... the targeting of migrants. Ultimately, what that means is the targeting of people's skin colour, and as Sikhs we have the most distinct, unique identity. We bear the brunt of all prejudice and ignorance, and hate.” A woman in her 30s who attended the meeting described the incident as a divisive act of racism. Reverend Nick Ross, from the Holy Trinity Church in Smethwick, said both the gurdwara and his Anglican church had been defaced by graffiti and warned that tensions across the country could grow if such attacks are ignored.

Police are asking anyone with information to contact West Midlands Police by calling 101 or Crimestoppers, and to quote log 798 of September 9. Investigators are continuing to pursue all lines of inquiry and urge vigilance from the community.