Two people, a man and a woman, have been arrested on suspicion of the racially aggravated rape of a British Sikh woman in Oldbury, in the West Midlands region of England last month.
West Midlands Police said on Friday that the arrests were made in connection with a second rape of a woman in her 30s at Halesowen in the same county on Thursday night, which is not being treated as racially aggravated.
The pair were later additionally arrested in connection with the attack on the British Sikh woman in her 20s who reported being sexually assaulted at Tame Road in Oldbury, Sandwell, on September 9.
“A 49-year-old man and a 65-year-old woman from Sandwell were arrested this morning on suspicion of rape,” the police said in a statement on Friday.
“We were called at around 7pm (local time Thursday) after a woman in her 30s reported she has been attacked in Hurst Green Park. This incident is not being treated as racially aggravated. The man and woman have this afternoon (Friday) subsequently been arrested in connection with a rape on Tame Road, Oldbury on Tuesday, September 9. They remain in custody for questioning,” the statement said.
The sexual assault last month, involving two white male attackers who allegedly told the victim “you don’t belong in this country, get out”, had sent shockwaves across the community.
{{/usCountry}}The sexual assault last month, involving two white male attackers who allegedly told the victim “you don’t belong in this country, get out”, had sent shockwaves across the community.
{{/usCountry}}UK's crime-fighting charity Crimestoppers offered up 20,000 pounds as reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the racially aggravated rape. British Sikh organisations also came together on social media to offer a financial reward of 10,000 pounds for any footage which could lead to the conviction of the perpetrators behind the attack.
The incident went on to be raised in the UK Parliament, with Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood leading condemnation of the attack.
“The horror of a sexual assault motivated by race or ethnicity is absolutely appalling. I am sure that the whole House will join me in condemning such crimes in the strongest possible terms. This government will not stand for any incitement to racial hatred or violence,” she said at the time.