Gagandeep Singh Jailed for Hanwell Rape and Torture

A 34-year-old man who kidnapped, raped, and tortured a woman after she refused to smuggle a suitcase into the UK has been sentenced to 34 years at Isleworth Crown Court.

Gagandeep Singh, of Heathfield Road, Wandsworth, was convicted in February of two counts of rape, false imprisonment, causing grievous bodily harm with intent, and kidnap. On Friday, June 12, 2026, he was handed a 34-year extended sentence, comprising 28 years in custody and a six-year extended licence period.

The court heard that Singh will not be considered for parole until he has served at least 18 years. Upon completion of his sentence, he will be deported from the UK with no right of re-entry.

During the trial, the jury was told that the 24-year-old victim was targeted in June 2024 after she grew suspicious and refused a request to bring a suitcase containing unknown items from Thailand back to the UK.

Upon her arrival at Birmingham Airport, she was abducted by masked men, forced into a vehicle, and driven to a residential address in Hanwell, west London. Over the course of more than a day, she was subjected to prolonged and brutal abuse, which included being punched, beaten, stripped, whipped, burned, and raped by Singh on two occasions.

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Following her release, the captors threatened the victim, warning her not to disclose the ordeal to authorities.

The court heard that the victim was initially too traumatised to provide a full account to the police. However, her mother made an initial third-party report and carefully preserved the clothing her daughter had been wearing during the kidnapping. Six weeks later, the victim felt able to provide a comprehensive statement to specialist officers from the Metropolitan Police’s North West Rape and Serious Sexual Offences Unit.

Forensic examination of the preserved clothing yielded a one-in-a-million DNA match to Singh, who was already on remand in prison for an unrelated offence. During his police interview, Singh provided "no comment" answers to all questions, but the DNA evidence, combined with the victim's testimony, secured his conviction.

In a statement released following the sentencing, the victim detailed the profound impact of the attack and her initial reluctance to come forward:

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"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. 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 all of my doctor’s notes.

"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."

The victim's mother also issued a statement thanking the Metropolitan Police and the Crown Prosecution Service, noting that their actions provided the family with closure and ensured "a dangerous individual has now been removed from the streets."

Detective Constable Seetara Abdul, who led the investigation, praised the victim's resilience and her mother's vital intervention.

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"The brutality of what the victim in this case faced is unimaginable," DC Abdul said. "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. 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."