Men abused woman advertised by husband, court told

Four men sexually assaulted a woman after her then-husband drugged her and advertised her on Craigslist, Grindr and swinging websites, a court has been told.

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

They are charged jointly with her ex-husband Philip Young, 50, a former councillor, who admitted to drugging and raping her over 13 years.

As the trial began, prosecutor Sarah Jones KC told the jury: "This case is about whether it is ever reasonable to have sex with an unknown woman without checking with her first."

Warning: This story contains distressing details

Joanne Young, who has waived her right to anonymity, told police to her knowledge she had a "fairly normal" and "always monogamous" sex life with her husband.

But on one occasion in 2023, she said she woke up with restraints and a blindfold on while a man who she thought was her husband, was carrying out a sexual act on her.

Another man had his hand on her wrist, the court was told.

Jones told the jury Joanne believed her husband was performing the sexual act on her when in reality he was "stage managing another unknown person" who was "taking his place without her knowledge".