Indian-Origin Man Jailed 34 Years in UK for Kidnap, Torture and Rape of Young Woman

An Indian-origin man has been sentenced to 34 years in prison in the United Kingdom after being convicted of kidnapping, torturing and raping a 24-year-old woman in a case described by investigators as one of extreme brutality .

Gagandeep Singh , 34, of Wandsworth, was sentenced at Isleworth Crown Court after being found guilty in February of two counts of rape, kidnap, false imprisonment and causing grievous bodily harm with intent. The court ordered him to serve 28 years in custody followed by a six-year extended licence period. He will not be eligible for parole until he has served at least 18 years. Authorities said Singh is also expected to be deported from the UK after completing his sentence and will have no right to re-enter the country.

The ordeal began in June 2024 when the victim was asked to transport a suitcase containing unknown items from Thailand to the UK. Growing suspicious, she refused. On arriving at Birmingham Airport, she was allegedly forced into a car by masked men and driven to a property in Hanwell, west London. There, she endured more than a day of torture , including being punched, beaten, stripped, whipped, burned and raped twice.

After her release, the woman was threatened and warned not to contact police. Deeply traumatised, she initially withheld details of the attack, but around six weeks later she provided investigators with a full account. Crucially, her mother preserved the clothing she had worn during the ordeal along with medical records, enabling forensic experts to recover DNA evidence . Police said testing produced a “one in a million” DNA match to Singh, who was already serving time in prison for an unrelated offence when detectives identified him.

Detective Constable Seetara Abdul of the Metropolitan Police praised the victim's courage, saying her determination helped secure justice against an “extremely dangerous individual” . The survivor later urged other victims of abuse not to carry shame and to seek support and justice.

The victim's mother, whose decision to preserve evidence proved crucial to the case, welcomed the verdict and said the family finally had a sense of closure. The Metropolitan Police said the conviction reflects its continued efforts to combat violence against women and girls through strengthened investigations, specialist victim support and enhanced officer training.