Man arrested armed with large knife who held gun to womens head before raping them jailed for life

Published by Robert L Senior Reporter on Saturday 15th February 2025, at 11:55hrs

He met his victims through escorting websites arranging to meet them before raping and robbing them

A man has been jailed for life for multiple counts of rape and robbery offences following an investigation by West Midlands Police.

In a statement released after sentencing, West Midlands Police said:

“This is the moment we arrested a man who’d raped two women at gunpoint, before going on to be jailed for life.

Troy Tomlin targeted the women after making contact via an escort website.

Tomlin, 27, of Portland Road, Birmingham sent a text message to one of the women just before midnight on 1 June last year and arranged to meet her at a flat near Birmingham city centre.

Tomlin was wearing a face covering when he arrived, but said it was to protect his own identity as he had arrived straight from work.

He then pulled out a what appeared to be a gun and demanded to know where the woman’s money was.

She handed over some cash before Tomlin went into another room where a friend of the woman was.

She also handed him some money, before he went on to rape both women. At one point, he held the gun to one of the women’s heads as he demanded to see their ID cards.

He told the women that he would go to their homes and kill them if anyone told the police.

Both of the women managed to flee from the property and raise the alarm, before Tomlin fled the scene.

Tomlin was traced using mobile phone data and was arrested two days later by officers from our dog unit when he failed to stop for officers as he drove his white Volvo in Birmingham.

On Monday at Birmingham Crown Court he was jailed for life with a minimum of 17 years after being found guilty of four rapes, two counts of possession of an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence, robbery, possession of a knife and possession of cannabis.

Det Insp Matt Owen, from our Public Protection Unit, said: “This was an horrific and sustained attack on two women, causing both real fear and a significant and lasting impact.

“Tomlin tried to lie his way out of this by suggesting that the sex had been consensual, but they jury was able to see through that.”