Trial opens of four men accused of abusing Joanne Young after recruitment by her husband
Four men have gone on trial at Winchester Crown Court accused of raping or sexually assaulting Joanne Young, who was allegedly drugged and advertised online by her then-husband Philip Young. All four deny the charges; Philip Young has pleaded guilty.
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The story, neutrally told
Mixed · 2Four men went on trial at Winchester Crown Court on Tuesday 27 October accused of raping or sexually abusing Joanne Young, who has waived her right to anonymity. The Straits TimesRC “Four British men went on trial on Tuesday for raping or sexually abusing a woman who had been advertised online, drugged and filmed by her then-husband” Read at The Straits Times ↗ Evening StandardN “Joanne Young, who has waived her right to anonymity.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Centre · 1Her ex-husband Philip Young, 50, a former councillor, has pleaded guilty to offences against her, and the four men are charged jointly with him. BBC NewsN “They are charged jointly with her ex-husband Philip Young, 50, a former councillor, who admitted to drugging and raping her over 13 years.” Read at BBC News ↗ Centre · 1The defendants are Norman Macksoni, 48, of Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire, who denies one count of rape; Richard Wilkins, 62, of Toothill, Swindon, who denies one count of rape and one of assault by penetration; Connor Sanderson-Doyle, 32, of Swindon, who denies sexual assault by penetration and sexual touching; and Mohammed Hassan, 38, of Swindon, who denies one count of sexual touching. Evening StandardN “Norman Macksoni, 48, of Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire, who has denied one count of rape”“Mohammed Hassan, 38, of Swindon, has pleaded not guilty to one count of sexual touching.” Read at Evening Standard ↗
Right · 1Prosecutors say the alleged offences took place between 2016 and 2023. The Straits TimesRC “Four other men who prosecutors say raped or sexually assaulted her between 2016 and 2023” Read at The Straits Times ↗ Mixed · 2Prosecutor Sarah Jones KC told the jury the case was about whether it is ever reasonable to have sex with an unknown woman without checking with her first. BBC NewsN “"This case is about whether it is ever reasonable to have sex with an unknown woman without checking with her first."” Read at BBC News ↗ The Straits TimesRC “"This case is, in effect, about whether it is ever reasonable to have sex or to begin to have sexual contact with an unknown woman without checking with her first,"” Read at The Straits Times ↗ Mixed · 2Jones said Philip Young advertised his wife on Craigslist, Grindr and swinging websites, seeking strangers to sleep with her, and presented it as a kink for both of them, though there was no information from Joanne Young to support that. Evening StandardN “Mr Young had advertised her on Craigslist, Grindr and swinging websites” Read at Evening Standard ↗ The Straits TimesRC “"He presented it as a kink for both of them but there was no information from Joanne herself to support that,"” Read at The Straits Times ↗
Centre · 1The photos he posted showed her inanimate, tied to the bed and blindfolded, and the prosecutor said a shared nightcap appeared to be used to put her in a state where she would be unaware or unable to remember what was done. BBC NewsN “the photos he posted of her to advertise his offer showed her inanimate and tied to the bed blindfolded”“The nightcap they shared it appeared would be used to plunge her into a state where anything could be done to her by whoever answered and she would be unaware or unable to remember” Read at BBC News ↗ Centre · 2Joanne Young, now 49, described a monogamous, "vanilla" relationship and had no awareness of the alleged attacks; on one occasion around 2023 she woke blindfolded and restrained and felt another person's hand on her wrist. Evening StandardN “Mrs Young, now 49, who said she was “emphatically monogamous” with “vanilla” sexual tastes” Read at Evening Standard ↗ BBC NewsN “Another man had his hand on her wrist, the court was told.” Read at BBC News ↗ Right · 1Philip Young said on that occasion he had invited someone to watch, but police found videos after his arrest of strangers sexually assaulting or raping her, according to the prosecutor. The Straits TimesRC “Philip Young said on that occasion he had invited someone to watch the couple having sex, but after his arrest police found videos of strangers sexually assaulting or raping Joanne Young, the prosecutor said.” Read at The Straits Times ↗
Right · 1Police found the videos after an account linked to Young posted bestiality images online in 2023 and his devices were seized; Jones warned jurors they would see videos of things they could not unsee. The Straits TimesRC “Police found those videos after an account linked to Philip Young posted bestiality images online in 2023 and his devices were seized.” Read at The Straits Times ↗ Centre · 1Philip Young has admitted 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 an obscene article, as well as child and extreme image offences, according to the BBC. BBC NewsN “Young has admitted 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 an obscene article.” Read at BBC News ↗ Centre · 2A sixth defendant, Dean Hamilton, 47, of Street, Somerset, has admitted one charge of assault by penetration, two of sexual assault and one of rape; he and Young will be sentenced at the end of the trial, which is expected to last up to four weeks. BBC NewsN “Young and Hamilton will be sentenced at the end of the trial, which is expected to last up to four weeks.” Read at BBC News ↗ Evening StandardN “a sixth defendant, Dean Hamilton, 47, of Street, Somerset, has admitted one charge of assault by penetration, two of sexual assault and one of rape.” Read at Evening Standard ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left2 outlets
No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Centre2 outlets
- Framing
- Court report led by the prosecution opening, centred on the husband's alleged betrayal of trust and the abuse of a drugged woman, with detailed charges and defendants.
- Emphasis
- Joanne Young's account of her marriage, the husband's guilty pleas and counts, and each defendant's pleas.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Neither report mentions how police found the videos, via bestiality images posted online in 2023.
- Charged language
- “betrayal of trust”“stage managing”
- For example
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“Husband’s ‘betrayal of trust’ allowed other men to abuse his wife, court told” — Evening Standard
“he was "stage managing another unknown person"” — BBC News
Right2 outlets
- Framing
- Reuters wire copy carried by the Straits Times, leading on the trial opening and the prosecutor's warning about videos jurors will see.
- Emphasis
- How police found the videos, and the warning to jurors.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Gives fewer details of Philip Young's guilty pleas and of Dean Hamilton's admissions.
- Charged language
- “things you cannot then unsee”
- For example
-
“"You are going to see videos of things you cannot then unsee and may find you can't forget,"” — The Straits Times
What every side reports
- Four men are on trial at Winchester Crown Court over alleged sexual offences against Joanne Young, who has waived anonymity.
- Philip Young, her ex-husband, has pleaded guilty to offences against her.
- The four defendants deny the charges.
- Prosecutor Sarah Jones KC said Young advertised his wife online to strangers and presented it as a kink for both.
Where accounts differ
-
Whether the encounters were consensual or a shared kink
- Centre
- Reported as the prosecution's account: Young presented it as a kink for both, but there was no information from Joanne Young to support that.
- Right
- Reuters, carried by the Straits Times, gives the same prosecution account.
-
Philip Young has pleaded guilty to offences against his ex-wife Joanne Young.
Reported- Reports 3
- BBC News, Evening Standard, The Straits Times
-
The four men on trial at Winchester Crown Court deny the charges against them.
Reported- Reports 3
- BBC News, Evening Standard, The Straits Times
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Philip Young advertised Joanne Young online to strangers after drugging her.
Reported- Reports 3
- BBC News, Evening Standard, The Straits Times
Joanne Young person
Has waived anonymity; told police her sex life with her husband was monogamous and fairly normal, and says she was unaware of the alleged attacks.
“told police to her knowledge she had a "fairly normal" and "always monogamous" sex life with her husband.” — BBC News
Left2 articles
Centre2 articles
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Evening StandardN · · via PA
Husband’s ‘betrayal of trust’ allowed other men to abuse his wife, court told
Neutral PA report, carried by the Evening Standard, setting out the prosecution opening and Joanne Young's account.
-
Men abused woman advertised by husband, court told
Neutral BBC court report with full list of charges, pleas and expected trial length.
Right2 articles
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The Straits TimesRC · · via Reuters
Four UK men on trial accused of raping or assaulting drugged woman
Neutral Reuters wire copy carried by the Straits Times, leading on the trial opening and the warning about videos.
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- 27 Oct 13:48 First Evening StandardN Husband’s ‘betrayal of trust’ allowed other men to abuse his wife, court told via PA
- 27 Oct 14:28 +40m BBC NewsN Men abused woman advertised by husband, court told
- 27 Oct 14:55 +1h 7m The Straits TimesRC Four UK men on trial accused of raping or assaulting drugged woman via Reuters
- 27 Oct 15:17 +1h 28m Daily MirrorL Former Tory councillor 'advertised wife online for men to sexually abuse her' at family home
- 27 Oct 15:29 +1h 41m The GuardianLC Woman’s world ‘tilted on axis’ on learning husband invited men to sexually assault her, court told
- 27 Oct 16:05 +2h 16m Daily ExpressR Woman 'shackled, blindfolded, drugged and raped' after husband advertised her online
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
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