Former Conservative councillor pleads guilty to drugging and abusing wife, trial continues for four other men
Philip Young admitted to drugging and sexually assaulting his wife and to posting her images online; four other defendants are on trial for alleged assaults at the couple's home.
A Winchester Crown Court hearing heard that former Conservative councillor Philip Young, 50, pleaded guilty to multiple offences involving the drugging and sexual abuse of his wife, Joanne Young. Prosecutors said Young used sedative-laced nightcaps to render his wife unconscious and posted photographs of her bound and blindfolded on dating and swinging websites to attract strangers to their Swindon home.
"He sought strangers to come and sleep with his wife – any age, any race – but as close to Swindon as possible so that when the circumstances were right they could be seized upon immediately," said Sarah Jones KC, leading the prosecution.
Four other men are on trial for alleged assaults at the Young residence. The defendants – Norman Macksoni, Richard Wilkins, Connor Sanderson-Doyle and Mohammed Hassan – have each denied the charges, which include rape, sexual assault and sexual touching. The judge indicated that the jury must consider whether the defendants could reasonably have believed the victim consented.
Evidence presented included video footage recovered from Young's electronic devices, which showed the victim bound and apparently unaware. Police investigations were prompted after bestiality images were found on Young's computer, leading to the discovery of the abuse.
Joanne Young, who has waived anonymity, testified that she was unaware of the assaults until her husband’s arrest in July 2023. She described a previously “vanilla” sex life with occasional blindfolding and restraints that she did not object to, but said she later found herself restrained and unconscious with strangers present.
The trial, expected to last four weeks, continues as jurors assess the evidence against the four men.