Man who raped a woman 23 years ago is jailed for more than 10 years

A man who attacked and raped a woman in Bristol more than 23 years ago has been jailed for ten-and-a-half years.

Inderjit Singh Bains, 46, of Heneage Lane, Falfield, committed the attack on a woman after picking her up in his van.

The victim, now in her fifties, reported the incident to the police in January 2022 and had crucially memorised the offender’s number plate, which helped lead to his identification and arrest.

A jury unanimously found Bains guilty of rape and actual bodily harm following a trial at Bristol Crown Court in March.

At the sentencing hearing held earlier today (Friday 25 April) in Bains’ absence, Judge James Patrick said the offence involved “a degree of abduction” and the attack was “prolonged and persistent”, which had a “long-standing emotional effect” on the victim.

Bains picked up the victim, who was in the street sex trade, in his white panel van in the St Werburghs area of the city at around 1am on 10 January, 2002. The van had been circling the area and eventually stopped outside a pub, where Bains beckoned to the victim to go over.

After agreeing a fee, Bains drove towards Eastgate, where the victim had asked to go. But he didn’t turn off and headed up the M32 towards Frenchay, where he stopped in a secluded area off Stoke Lane.

The victim asked for payment first, which Bains pretended to reach for in his jacket pocket before punching her repeatedly to the face and body, causing her to lose and swallow a tooth.

He then raped her, without using a condom, before telling her to get dressed and driving her back into the city.

To protect others, the victim made a report to the One25 Project, which supports women in the street sex trade, soon after the attack. This report included a detailed description of the offender as well as his number plate

In an impact statement read to the court, the victim said: “The immediate impact of this crime on me was so traumatic that I used heroin to suppress any emotional impact, the physical impacts of the attack healed after time, but the emotional impact will stay with me forever.

“The flashbacks, panic attacks and nightmares I have continue to this day. I truly thought I was going to die that night, that kind of trauma is not easily fixed.

“There is still so much judgement and stigma around women who are trapped in the lifestyle I was, that it’s easier to let people think I’m crazy, as how do I explain what happened to me?

“For me to come forward again all these years later was the hardest decision I had to make, as I didn’t trust the police or the justice system to take me or the crime against me seriously…I didn’t realise how much emotional trauma I’d locked away about the attack.

“If it wasn’t for the empathetic, non-judgemental nature of my investigating officer, I would never have put myself through the retraumatising effects of a trial, but I am told this is also part of my healing process.

“Going to court was terrifying, especially having to face him, but I’m so glad I did as I see him not as a monster, but as a coward who preys on the most vulnerable people in society.”

Speaking afterwards, the victim added she also wanted to thank the jury for believing her and delivering a guilty verdict in this case.

Investigating officer PC Chris Quick, of Operation Bluestone, said: “Bains carried out a cruel, callous and violent attack on a vulnerable victim, leaving her with horrible injuries and a lifetime of trauma.

“When he dropped her off in the city centre following the attack, the victim memorised his number plate, which she was able to recall two decades later when she reported the incident to me. The One25 Project had also retained the report the victim made in 2002, which proved to be a key piece of evidence in the case.

“She’s had to spend the last 23 years without the justice she deserved, but her decision to come forward and report this offence is a testament to her enduring strength and courage.

“I’m so pleased she had enough faith in the police to believe she’d be listened to and to trust us to investigate this terrible crime. I truly hope this outcome will encourage other victims of sexual violence to come forward, whenever they’re ready, safe in the knowledge their voices will be heard.”

Jennifer Riley, Chief Executive Officer of One25, said: “The courage and bravery shown by this woman is truly inspiring. We are relieved and encouraged to see the perpetrator of this heinous crime being brought to justice. Street sex workers experience alarmingly high levels of violence and abuse and far too often do not receive the justice they deserve.

“At One25, we remain committed to working closely with Avon and Somerset Police to help keep women involved in street sex work safe.”