A British man and five others have been charged with dozens of serious sexual offences against a woman over a 13-year period, in what police have described as a complex and extensive investigation.
Philip Young, 49, has been remanded in custody and faces 56 charges, including multiple counts of rape, administering substances to overpower his victim for sexual purposes, voyeurism, possession of indecent images of children and possession of extreme pornographic material, according to Wiltshire Police.
The charges relate to alleged offences committed against his former wife, Joanne Young, now 48, between 2010 and 2023. She has waived her automatic legal right to anonymity following discussions with police and support services.
Five additional men have also been charged in connection with offences against Ms Young and are currently on bail. They include:
Norman Macksoni, 47, charged with one count of rape and possession of extreme images;
Dean Hamilton, 47, charged with rape, sexual assault by penetration and two counts of sexual touching;
Conner Sanderson Doyle, 31, charged with sexual assault by penetration and sexual touching;
Richard Wilkins, 61, charged with rape and sexual touching;
Mohammed Hassan, 37, charged with sexual touching.
All six defendants are due to appear before Swindon Magistrates’ Court in southwest England on Tuesday.
Detective Superintendent Geoff Smith of Wiltshire Police described the charges as a “significant update” in a long-running investigation, adding that Ms Young is being supported by specially trained officers throughout the legal process.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) confirmed it authorised the charges after reviewing evidence gathered during the police investigation.
“Our prosecutors have determined that there is sufficient evidence and that it is in the public interest to proceed with criminal charges,” said James Foster, a specialist CPS prosecutor.
He added that the CPS had worked closely with police during the investigation into the alleged offences.
The case is expected to attract significant public attention due to the number of charges, the length of time over which the alleged offences occurred, and the involvement of multiple defendants