Recorded police interviews of Joanne Young played at trial of four men

Recorded police interviews of Joanne Young, 49, were played to the jury at Winchester Crown Court, where four men are on trial accused of sexually assaulting her, The Guardian reported. The recordings were her evidence to the jury.

The men are accused of assaulting her jointly with her former husband, Philip Young, 50, after he invited them into the couple's home. He has pleaded guilty to multiple charges of abuse. Philip Young is a former Conservative councillor who served on Swindon borough council. Reuters reported in January that he pleaded guilty to 48 charges, including drugging and raping his ex-wife, and later reporting by the BBC said he had admitted drugging and raping her over 13 years. He also admitted child abuse image charges.

Joanne Young has waived her legal right to anonymity, which means she can be named publicly. The court heard that Philip Young advertised her on dating and swinging websites as a kink for both of them.

In her police interviews, Joanne Young said she and Philip had been married for 20 years and have three children. She told police she woke up restrained and blindfolded, feeling hazy, and did not remember how the restraints had been put on. On one night in February 2023, she said, she removed her blindfold and saw a stranger in her bedroom. She said Philip told the man to get down, and the man ducked out of sight.

She also told police that Philip said he had invited someone to watch them have sex, and claimed this had never happened before. She said that on the day of his arrest, Philip admitted sharing explicit images of her. She recalled waking up terrified, saying no repeatedly, while Philip asked whether she would not like it if somebody else was there. The court was also told she felt a stranger's hand during sex.

Four men face charges. Connor Sanderson-Doyle, 32, of Swindon, denies sexual assault by penetration and sexual touching in June 2016. Richard Wilkins, 62, of Toothill, Swindon, has pleaded not guilty to one count of rape and one of assault by penetration in July 2016. Norman Macksoni, 48, of Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire, denies one count of rape in February 2017. Mohammed Hassan, 38, of Swindon, has pleaded not guilty to one count of sexual touching in February 2023.

The trial began on October 27, 2026, according to Reuters. Prosecutors say the four men raped or sexually assaulted the woman between 2016 and 2023. The case is being heard by Mr Justice Saini, who told the jury before the trial started that it was likely to be upsetting.