Pregnancy risk from abuse 'great thrill', court told

A former councillor who advertised online for strangers to have sex with his wife without her consent said the risk of getting her pregnant was "a great thrill", a court has heard.

Philip Young, a former Tory councillor for Swindon, has admitted to drugging and raping his now ex-wife Joanne, over 13 years. She has waived her legal right to anonymity.

In an advert read to the jury earlier, Young wrote it was his one of wife's fantasies for anonymous men to have sex with her while she was drunk and tied up.

Norman Macksoni, 48, Richard Wilkins, 62, Connor Sanderson-Doyle, 32, and Mohammed Hassan, 38, are on trial at Winchester Crown Court having pleaded not guilty to sexual offences against her.

Warning: This story contains distressing details

The court was told that Young had placed 20 adverts on Craigslist inviting men to have sex with his wife. He also posted on other sites, including Grindr and Fab Swingers.

One advert said the idea was to "quietly use her body" and that "even a voice would be a giveaway" to the person's identity, the jury heard.

The court also heard that in a message to Hassan, Young said: "I had a vasectomy a while ago so she is completely unprotected. The thought of a slight risk is a great thrill for us.

"If anything did happen we know nothing about you so there would be no comeback."

The trial previously heard that Joanne locked herself in a bathroom after realising Young had allowed someone else in the bedroom while she was blindfolded and having sex.

She told police she was restrained when she felt a hand on her wrist which she believed did not belong to her then-husband.

After this alleged incident in 2023 involving Hassan, Young wrote to him and said: "Hey mate, sorry about last night. It's the first time we did it and she freaked out a bit.

"She asked me to apologise and wants me to tell you that maybe this isn't for her."

The jury was told that Young also sent an apologetic message to his wife, which said: "I don't know what to do with the hurt I have caused.

"I am devastated at what I have done and I am heartbroken at what I did to you. I can't say sorry enough but I know it's inadequate."

Edward Culver, prosecuting, told the court that analysis of Young's devices uncovered 300 emails between him and other people between 2015 and 2019.

Nearly 500 images were also found of Joanne "in a state of undress" with the majority "not with knowledge or consent".

The court previously heard these images were discovered after police were alerted to the fact he had uploaded extreme pornographic images to the internet in 2023.

Wiltshire Police seized his devices and launched an investigation that uncovered the abuse of his then-wife.

Young previously admitted to 48 offences against his ex-wife, including voyeurism, rape, administering a substance with intent, assault by penetration and sexual assault.

He has also pleaded guilty to three charges of making indecent images of children, one of possessing prohibited images of children, and four of possessing an extreme pornographic image.

A sixth defendant, Dean Hamilton, 47, of Street, Somerset, has admitted one charge of assault by penetration, two of sexual assault and one of rape.

Young and Hamilton will be sentenced at the end of the trial, which is expected to last up to four weeks.

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