A former Conservative councillor, Philip Young, has confessed to a string of serious crimes against his ex-wife. Over 14 years, he committed multiple offences including drugging, raping, and assaulting her. Young, 49, pleaded guilty to these crimes at Winchester Crown Court.
Details of the Offences
Young admitted to a total of 48 offences, including:
- 11 counts of rape
- 11 counts of administering a substance with intent to stupefy
- 14 counts of voyeurism
- 7 counts of assault by penetration
- 4 counts of sexual assault
- 1 count of publishing obscene articles on over 500 occasions
His former wife, Joanne Young, 48, waived her right to anonymity and was the complainant in the case. In court, she faced Philip Young, who was dressed in prison attire.
Legal Proceedings
The charges against Young stem from alleged incidents occurring between 2010 and 2024. In court, he pleaded not guilty to additional charges related to child exploitation, which included:
- Three counts of making indecent images of children
- One count of possessing prohibited images
- Four counts of possessing extreme pornographic images
Alongside Young, five other men faced various allegations related to sexual offences against Joanne Young. Their pleas included:
- Connor Sanderson-Doyle, 31, of Swindon – Not guilty to sexual assault and assault by penetration
- Norman Macksoni, 47, of Bedfordshire – Not guilty to rape and possessing an extreme pornographic image
- Richard Wilkins, 61, of Swindon – Not guilty to assault by penetration and rape
- Mohammed Hassan, 37, of Swindon – Not guilty to sexual assault
- Dean Hamilton, 47, of Somerset – Charged with assault by penetration, two counts of sexual assault, and rape; plea not yet entered
Background of Philip Young
Philip Young was born in Enfield in June 1976 and graduated from the University of Westminster in 1998. He served as a councillor on Swindon Borough Council from 2007 to 2010. Young resigned from his role as cabinet member for culture, regeneration, and economic development in May 2010, citing the need to prioritize family and business commitments.
Since leaving his council role, Young has been the director of several companies, most recently serving as the chief operating officer at Pracedo, a consultancy firm.
