UK man pleads guilty to repeatedly drugging and raping his ex-wife for more than a decade
By Kara Fox, CNN
London (CNN) — A British man pleaded guilty in a UK court on Friday to drugging and raping his now former wife over a 13-year period.
Philip Young admitted 48 of the 56 charges against him, pleading guilty to 14 counts of voyeurism, 11 of rape, and 11 of administering a substance with “intent to stupefy” his then-wife, according to the Crown Prosecution Service.
He also admitted to seven counts of assault by penetration, four of sexual assault against his former spouse and one of publishing obscene articles, prosecutors said.
Young has also been charged with voyeurism, possession of indecent images of children and possession of extreme images. He denied three charges of making indecent images of children, pleaded not guilty to possessing a prohibited image of child, and not guilty to four charges of possessing an extreme pornographic images – including one defined as image portraying an act which threatens life.
The alleged offences took place between 2010 and 2023.
The 49-year-old former local elected official from Britain’s Conservative Party entered his pleas in front of his former spouse Joanne Young at Winchester Crown Court, in southern England, on Friday.
Joanne Young, who waived her automatic legal right to anonymity, was supported by her sister and a member of witness support in court.
Senior Investigating Officer Detective Superintendent Geoff Smith lauded Joanne Young’s bravery on Friday, saying: “I want to pay tribute to her for her incredible bravery throughout this process and she continues to be supported by specially trained officers.”
Five other men were also charged with sexual offences against Joanne Young, four of whom appeared in court Friday.
Norman Macksoni, 47, who was charged with one count of rape and possession of extreme images, pleaded not guilty to rape. Conner Sanderson Doyle, 31, who was charged with sexual assault by penetration and sexual touching pleaded not guilty. Richard Wilkins, 61, who faces one count of rape and sexual touching, pleaded not guilty to sexual touching. Mohammed Hassan, 37, who was charged with sexual touching, pleaded not guilty.
Dean Hamilton, also 47, is facing one count of rape and sexual assault by penetration and two counts of sexual touching. He has not entered a plea.
Cases of marital rape, the use of substances to incapacitate victims and non consensual image sharing of intimate images continue to proliferate across Europe.
Last month, a 61-year-old German man identified as Fernando P., was found guilty of drugging and raping his unconscious wife for years and sharing video of his crimes online.
They draw comparisons to the case of Dominique Pelicot in France – who solicited dozens of strangers from a chatroom for a near 10-year period to rape and abuse his then-wife Gisèle.
In December 2024, he and fourty-nine other men were all found guilty of rape or sexual assault in a case that shocked the world and sparked a cultural reckoning on gender-based violence and misogyny in France.
CNN’s Lauren Said-Moorhouse, Saskya Vandoorne and Niamh Kennedy contributed reporting.
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