A man who brutally kidnapped, raped and tortured a young woman has been jailed for 34 years and faces deportation on his release.

Gagandeep Singh, 34, of Wandsworth, south London, was previously found guilty in February of two counts of rape, false imprisonment, causing grievous bodily harm with intent and kidnap following a trial at Isleworth Crown Court.

He appeared at the same court on Friday, where he was handed the lengthy sentence. He has been jailed for 28 years, followed by a 6-year extended licence period.

Singh, who is understood to be of Indian origin, will not be considered for parole until he has served at least 18 years, as well as the extended licence, after which he will be deported with no right of re-entry to the UK. 

The court heard how the victim – a 24-year-old woman – became suspicious when she was asked to deliver a suitcase containing unknown items from Thailand back to the UK in June 2024.

She refused to do so, and when she arrived back at Birmingham Airport she was put into a car and driven to London by masked men. 

The victim was then taken to a house in Hanwell, West London, where she was tortured and then twice raped by Singh.

She detailed how she was punched in the face, beaten, stripped, whipped, burnt and raped for more than a day before she was released by her captors. 

The victim was threatened not to tell anyone what had happened. 

Traumatised by her ordeal, the victim was reluctant to open up to the police, but over the next few weeks she was supported by her mother and finally gave a statement. 

Detective Constable Seetara Abdul, from the North West Rape and Serious Sexual Offences Unit, who led the investigation, said: 'The brutality of what the victim in this case faced is unimaginable. 

'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.

'We know how difficult and daunting it can be for women who have been the victim of this sort of traumatising attack to come forward and share the amount of information required to secure a successful conviction.

'In this case, a team of supportive female officers focused on prioritising engagement that moved at the victim's pace, allowing her the time to begin to trust the officers and giving her the space to tell her story.

'We want to thank her for that trust and for the patience, bravery and determination she has shown throughout this investigation and the trial that followed. 

'Her courage in the face of such awful crimes is a testament to her hugely impressive strength and resilience.'   

In the hours after her release, she confided in her mother that she had been the victim of an attack, but could not bring herself to disclose the full extent of her ordeal. 

Her mother told the police but it would take another six weeks before the victim was able to provide a full account.

Crucially, the clothing she had been wearing when she was kidnapped had been kept aside at her home so it could be sent for forensic examination. 

DNA tests showed a one in a million positive match for Singh, who by that time was in prison on remand for an unrelated offence.

He was arrested and interviewed. Singh answered no comment to all questions but the evidence against him, including the DNA match and the victim's testimony, was enough to secure charges.

In a statement, the victim said: '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. She said she couldn't rest knowing they could be doing this to other people.

'At the time, I felt a deep sense of shame. I have always been someone who stands firm in my decisions, with a strong sense of self, and I didn't want to lose that.

'My friends and family supported me throughout everything. They made sure I never lost the strength to keep going, and for that I am truly grateful.

'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 thanked the police for their support 'and everyone else who has helped and worked hard to ensure that justice is served so that my daughter can have closure'. 

She added: 'When I contacted the Metropolitan Police, they responded with professionalism and sensitivity and reassured me that I could report this too as a third-party. Despite my daughter initially not wishing to proceed. 

'They took my concerns seriously and continued to investigate due to the seriousness of the offences.

'As a family, we are grateful for all the support provided. Their actions have given us a sense of closure, and we are reassured that a dangerous individual has now been removed from the streets.'