Four Men on Trial Accused of Sexually Assaulting Woman Advertised Online by Husband
The woman's ex-husband has pleaded guilty to drugging and raping her over a period of 13 years.
Four men are on trial at Winchester Crown Court, accused of sexually assaulting a woman after her then-husband allegedly drugged her and advertised her on various websites. The accused are Norman Macksoni, 48, Richard Wilkins, 62, Connor Sanderson-Doyle, 32, and Mohammed Hassan, 38, all of whom have pleaded not guilty to sexual offenses against Joanne Young.
Philip Young, 50, the ex-husband and a former councillor, has admitted to drugging and raping his wife over 13 years. The trial began with prosecutor Sarah Jones KC stating, "This case is about whether it is ever reasonable to have sex with an unknown woman without checking with her first."
Joanne Young, who has waived her right to anonymity, told police that to her knowledge, her sexual relationship with her husband had been "fairly normal" and "always monogamous." However, on one occasion in 2023, she reported waking up restrained and blindfolded, while a man she believed to be her husband was engaged in a sexual act with her. The court heard that another man had his hand on her wrist during the incident. Jones informed the jury that Joanne believed her husband was performing the act, when in reality he was allegedly "stage managing another unknown person" to take his place without her knowledge.