Former Tory councillor admits child abuse image possession after previously pleading guilty to raping ex-wife

A man who previously admitted drugging and raping his now ex-wife over a 13-year period has pleaded guilty to possessing child abuse images. Former Tory councillor Philip Young, previously of Swindon in Wiltshire but now of Enfield in London, pleaded guilty to eight indecent image charges at Winchester Crown Court earlier. Those offences relate to his former spouse Joanne Young, who has waived her right to anonymity in connection with the case. He also admitted administering a substance with intent to stupefy her. Young, who appeared via video link from prison, admitted three charges of making indecent images of children and one of possessing prohibited images of children in July 2024. He also admitted four counts of possessing an extreme pornographic image between January 2019 and January 2024. Judge Paul Dugdale told the court Young's pleas to all 56 charges against him meant he would not stand trial. The charges he previously admitted were: 14 counts of voyeurism, 11 of rape, 11 of administering a substance with intent, seven of assault by penetration, four of sexual assault and one of publishing obscene articles. Five other men have previously appeared in court charged with sexual offences against Joanne Young. Dean Hamilton, 47, of no fixed abode, has admitted one charge of assault by penetration, two of sexual assault and one of rape. Norman Macksoni, 48, of Wood End Close in Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire, has denied one count of rape and one of possessing an extreme pornographic image. Richard Wilkins, 61, of Toothill, Swindon, has denied one count of rape and one of assault by penetration. Macksoni, Wilkins, Sanderson-Doyle and Hassan are all due to stand trial on 5 October.