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Four men deny sexually assaulting woman allegedly drugged by husband
Four men are on trial at Winchester Crown Court, accused of sexually assaulting Joanne Young while she was drugged by her then husband, Philip Young. The case raises questions about consent and the alleged use of online adverts to recruit strangers; the four defendants deny the charges.
The alleged offences took place at Ms Young’s home in Swindon between 2016 and 2023, and range from sexual touching to rape. Prosecutors say Philip Young drugged and restrained his wife, then invited men he found online to have sex with her. He has pleaded guilty to 56 charges, while a fifth man, Dean Hamilton, has admitted offences; the article says Ms Young waived her anonymity and that the jury was told Philip Young’s plea does not establish the four defendants’ guilt.
In short
- Four men deny sexual offence charges at trial.
- Prosecutors allege they were recruited online by Ms Young’s husband.
- Philip Young has pleaded guilty to 56 charges.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
The prosecution’s case is that the four men knowingly took part in sexual acts with Ms Young while she was drugged and unable to consent, and that the circumstances and any communications or arrangements should be assessed as evidence of their awareness. A person’s responsibility for consent does not disappear because someone else allegedly drugged or restrained the victim; the jury must consider each defendant’s actions and knowledge on the evidence.
The case against
The defendants deny the charges, and each is entitled to have the allegations against him proved individually beyond reasonable doubt. Philip Young’s guilty pleas and another man’s admissions do not establish what these four defendants knew or did; if the evidence leaves reasonable doubt about a defendant’s awareness of the circumstances or the acts alleged, the jury should acquit him.
Read the full article at the source →
Originally published by Daily Mail as “Unmasked: The faces of the four men from all walks of life who ‘sexually assaulted woman while she was drugged by her own husband’”.