A man who kidnapped, tortured and raped a young woman after a dispute linked to a suitcase from Thailand has been jailed for 34 years in the UK and will be deported after completing his sentence.

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Gagandeep Singh, 34, of Wandsworth, south London, was sentenced at Isleworth Crown Court on Friday 12 June 2026, after previously being found guilty in February of two counts of rape, false imprisonment, causing grievous bodily harm with intent, and kidnap. He received a 28-year prison sentence followed by a six-year extended licence period.

The case stemmed from events in June 2024 when the victim, a 24-year-old woman, became suspicious after being asked to carry a suitcase containing unknown items from Thailand back to the UK. After refusing, she arrived at Birmingham Airport and was allegedly forced into a car by masked men before being driven to London.

The court heard that she was taken to a house in Hanwell, west London, where she was subjected to a prolonged ordeal. The victim said she was punched, beaten, stripped, whipped, burned and raped twice by Singh over more than a day before being released.

Following her release, she was threatened and warned not to tell anyone what had happened. Traumatised by the attack, she initially disclosed only part of her ordeal to her mother, who contacted police. It took a further six weeks before the victim felt able to provide a full statement.

A key breakthrough came when the victim’s clothing from the day of the kidnapping was preserved by her mother and later examined for forensic evidence. DNA testing produced a one-in-a-million positive match for Singh, who was already being held on remand for an unrelated offence.

Detective Constable Seetara Abdul of the North West Rape and Serious Sexual Offences Unit praised the victim’s courage, describing the violence she endured as “unimaginable”. She said officers worked at the victim’s pace to build trust and secure evidence against “an extremely dangerous individual”.

In a statement, the victim said she had been reluctant to approach police because she feared putting herself and others at risk. She credited her mother for preserving evidence and encouraging her to seek justice, adding that survivors of abuse should not carry shame for crimes committed against them.

The Daily Mail reported that Singh answered “no comment” during police interviews, but prosecutors relied on DNA evidence and the victim’s testimony to secure convictions. He will not be eligible for parole until he has served at least 18 years and, after completing his sentence and extended licence period, will be deported from the UK with no right of re-entry.

Picture courtesy of The Daily Mail

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Adapted by ASEAN Now Dailymail 14 June 2026

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He gave a 'no comment' interview thinking he was a criminal mastermind, only to get absolutely destroyed by a one-in-a-million DNA match. Brilliant work by the forensics team.🧬📉