Indian-origin man gets life sentence in UK for child rape

New Delhi/London: A 24-year-old Indian-origin man has been sentenced to life imprisonment in London following what Scotland Yard described as a “significant” investigation into rape and attempted rape offences.

Navroop Singh was sentenced at Isleworth Crown Court on Friday to life in prison, with a minimum term of 14 years, for five charges, including the rape of a child.

Singh had earlier pleaded guilty to three offences: possession of an imitation firearm with intent to commit an indictable offence, rape of a girl under 13, and assault of a girl under 13 by penetration. He was also convicted of the attempted rape of a woman in west London in October 2024 after a four-day trial.

“I would like to commend the strength of the victim-survivors and their families for their unwavering bravery,” said Acting Chief Superintendent Sean Lynch of the Metropolitan Police. “Today’s conviction is a testament to the officers’ thorough investigation, which has identified a violent sexual offender and undoubtedly prevented further harm.”

The police investigation began after a woman in her 20s reported an attempted rape on October 13 last year near Southall Park in Ealing, west London. She encountered two off-duty officers, who accompanied her to the nearest police station.

Singh had been waiting on a park bench in the early hours, carrying an imitation firearm he had ordered and assembled, which he used to threaten the victim.

Days later, on October 23, a child was raped at a different park. Detectives linked the offences, reviewed hours of CCTV footage, and used forensic evidence to trace Singh to an address near his home. Officers also delivered leaflets appealing for witnesses and increased patrols in the area before arresting him on October 27.

“The Met has made tackling violence against women and girls (VAWG) a priority,” Lynch said. “We are placing hundreds more officers into bigger teams, rolling out specialist training, transforming our own culture, and trying innovative methods — including counter-terrorism tactics — to track down offenders.”

Each of the victims was supported by specialist officers throughout the investigation and court process, police added.
(With PTI inputs)