Man pleads guilty to 48 charges in drugging and raping ex-wife over 13 years

A UK man has pleaded guilty at a court to drugging and raping his ex-wife over a 13-year period.

Philip Young, 49, admitted 48 of the 56 charges against him, including rape, voyeurism and administering a substance with intent to stupefy or overpower.

The offences are alleged to have taken place between 2010 and 2023.

He entered the guilty pleas at Winchester Crown Court in southeast England on Friday. His ex-wife, Joanne Young, 48, was present in court after waiving her legal right to anonymity.

Philip Young, who is reportedly a former Conservative councillor, denied charges of possession of indecent images of children and extreme images.

“We worked closely with Wiltshire Police to build a thorough and compelling case that resulted in him pleading guilty to dozens of offences today,” prosecutor James Foster said.

Five other men aged between 31 and 61 also appeared at the criminal court on Friday, charged with various sexual offences against Joanne Young. Four of the five have pleaded not guilty, while the fifth has not yet entered a plea.

Wiltshire Police detective superintendent Geoff Smith said in a statement in December that the case followed a “complex and extensive investigation”.

After Friday’s hearing, Smith described the plea as a “significant landmark” and paid tribute to Joanne Young’s “incredible bravery”.

“The victim in this case, Joanne, has taken the decision to waive her automatic legal right to anonymity,” he said.

The case echoes a separate and unrelated 2024 trial in France in which Gisele Pelicot waived her right to anonymity to raise awareness about sexual violence.