4 days ago
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A former Conservative councillor has admitted nearly 50 offences of drugging, raping and sexually assaulting his former wife over a period of 14 years.
Philip Young, 49, pleaded guilty at Winchester crown court to 11 counts of rape and 11 counts of administering a substance with intent to stupefy his former spouse Joanne Young, 48, who can be named as she has waived her right to anonymity
Philip Young, who lives in Enfield, also admitted 14 counts of voyeurism, including a single count that covered at least 200 acts of voyeurism; seven counts of assault by penetration; four counts of sexual assault and one count of publishing obscene articles on at least 500 occasions.
Joanne Young, who sat facing her ex-husband in court room 2, was the complainant on all counts.
Philip Young, wearing a prison-issue grey sweater, pleaded not guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children, one count of possession of prohibited images and four counts of possessing extreme pornographic images.
The offences are alleged to have taken place between 2010 and 2024.
Five other men appeared in court alongside Young on Friday in connection with alleged offences against Joanne Young.
Connor Sanderson-Doyle, 31, of Swindon, pleaded not guilty to sexual assault and assault by penetration; Norman Macksoni, 47, of Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire, pleaded not guilty to rape and possessing an extreme pornographic image; Richard Wilkins, 61, of Toothill, Swindon, pleaded not guilty to assault by penetration and rape; and Mohammed Hassan, 37, of Swindon, pleaded not guilty to sexual assault.
Dean Hamilton, 47, of Compton Dundon in Somerset, is charged with assault by penetration, two counts of sexual assault and rape. He is yet to enter pleas.
Young was remanded in custody and the five other defendants were released on bail. A provisional trial date was set for 5 October.
Police appealed for help in identifying another man wanted in connection with the case, describing him as being of large build, with scarring on the back of his head and a distinctive tattoo on the left side of his chest.
Det Supt Geoff Smith of Wiltshire police, the senior investigating officer in the case, paid tribute to Joanne Young’s “incredible bravery”.
He said: “Today’s hearing is a significant landmark, which has seen Philip Young admit to dozens of serious sexual offences against Joanne Young. I’d like to pay tribute to Jo for her incredible bravery throughout this process. She continues to be supported by specially trained officers.
“I’d also like to commend the investigation team for their relentless hard work in getting the case to this stage and thank the Crown Prosecution Service for their support in ensuring Young faces justice for his abhorrent actions.
“The wider case is now continuing through the courts and we have no further comment to make.”
Young, born in Enfield in June 1976, graduated from the University of Westminster in 1998. He was a Conservative councillor on Swindon borough council from 2007 to 2010.
He resigned as the cabinet member for culture, regeneration and economic development on 6 May 2010 to devote more time to his family and run his own business, according to the Swindon Advertiser. “Trying to juggle all of that, family and work, I don’t think it is fair on my family to put them bottom of that priority list,” he told the newspaper at the time.
He had also featured in the publication in September 2009 after delivering his son when his wife went into labour at the family home.
Since 2010, Young has been the director of several companies. He was most recently the chief operating officer at Pracedo, a consultancy firm.
