Three men who hired a BMW using a fake ID to target and sexually assault a woman before dumping her in a remote location have been jailed for more than 20 years combined.
Arjan Purewal, 23, of Wolverhampton Road, Oldbury, hired the car and, with accomplices Jaskaran Thandi, 23, and Hassan Jangheer, 23, picked up a woman and drove her up and down Broad Street in Birmingham. She was then taken to Vine Lane in Clent, roughly a 30-minute drive away, where she was attacked on September 16, 2023.
The assault and arrest
Purewal orally raped the woman before Jangheer forced her to perform a sexual act on him, a court heard. Thandi sexually assaulted her while Purewal filmed the assault on his mobile phone.
Officers were called to the scene after the ordeal at around 3.30am. The survivor stated she had been dumped in the "middle of nowhere" following the assault. All three attackers were arrested and later convicted.
Sentencing at Worcester Crown Court
At Worcester Crown Court on Friday, October 9, Purewal received a seven-year and six-month sentence for rape, one year concurrent for blackmail, one year consecutive for perverting the course of justice, and a further eight months concurrent for possession of an identification document, totalling eight years and six months. Additional charges of conspiracy to rape a female and sexual assault on a female were ordered to lie on file. Purewal must sign the Sex Offenders' Register for life.
Thandi, of HMP Hewell, Redditch, received six years and four months for aiding and abetting rape and two years concurrently for sexual assault. Jangheer, 23, of Grenville Drive, Smethwick, was handed six years for aiding and abetting rape and two years concurrently for sexual assault. All three were ordered to pay victim surcharges of £228.
Police response
Detective Inspector Warren Matthews said: "We welcome the result achieved at court. The behaviour of the perpetrators was appalling, and it is right that they are now behind bars. Their vile and predatory actions caused significant harm to the survivor, but we hope the sentencing helps on her path to recovery."
He added: "I also hope this outcome provides reassurance to victims and survivors that when they come forward, they will be heard. We treat all reports seriously, investigate them thoroughly, and remain committed to bringing offenders to justice while supporting those affected throughout the process."
