A 32-year-old man on trial at Birmingham Crown Court on charges of sexually assaulting a Sikh woman in Walsall pleaded guilty on Tuesday to religiously aggravated rape.John Ashby, a British man arrested last October — days after the attack that sent shockwaves within the West Midlands community — had initially denied charges of sexual assault, strangulation, racially aggravated actual bodily harm and robbery.As the trial opened on Monday, the jury heard how he followed the woman home from the bus stop and broke into her house to attack her. According to court reports, he directed anti-Muslim rants at the Sikh woman during the attack.“We know the fear and concern this attack has caused in our communities,” Chief Superintendent Phil Dolby of Walsall Police had said at the time. “Officers have visited faith establishments in Walsall and spoken with local leaders about women’s safety and what measures men can take to make women feel more comfortable. We need to continue to maintain those conversations and how we build on women’s safety in the community,” he said.During the trial this week, the prosecution said the victim, in her 20s, heard a sound and tried to lock the bathroom door, but it was too late as Ashby had forced himself in. CCTV footage showed that he had been riding the same bus as her and then followed her. During the ordeal on October 25 last year, Ashby subjected the woman to a tirade of anti-Muslim abuse, wrongly believing her to be of that faith, the BBC reports.The court heard that the attack only came to an end because he was “evidently spooked by a noise outside” and ran away, taking the victim’s jewellery and mobile phone. The woman raised alarm before police arrived, and later picked Ashby out as her attacker at an identity parade days later.In a video interview played in the court this week, the victim told police that her attacker had a stick in his hand and he also verbally abused her.According to local media reports from Birmingham, Ashby’s guilty plea followed a heated outburst from a member of the Sikh community in the public gallery during the hearing. Justice Pepperall later adjourned the case until Friday, when Ashby is due to be sentenced.“He should be under no illusion that a life sentence is the right sentence in this case… anybody who commits these offences in these circumstances is a very dangerous individual,” the judge was quoted as saying.