Defendant tells court he believed he had consent of woman drugged by her husband

Connor Sanderson-Doyle is one of four men accused of sexually abusing Joanne Young, who was repeatedly assaulted by her husband, Philip Young

A man has told a court he believed a woman who was repeatedly raped and drugged by her husband had consented when he answered an advert to have sex with her.

Former Tory councillor Philip Young has pleaded guilty to multiple charges of drugging and sexually abusing his wife, Joanne Young, during a 13-year period at their home in Swindon, Wiltshire.

Four other men are on trial at Winchester crown court accused of sexually abusing Young, who has waived her right to anonymity.

Connor Sanderson-Doyle, 32, of Swindon, has denied sexual assault by penetration and sexual touching in June 2016.

He told the court on Monday that “at no point did I have any indication that she was drugged, intoxicated, was doing anything against her will. If I had done, I wouldn’t have done those acts”.

When asked why he answered the ad, he said: “Because why not, you are a young guy, why not try something you haven’t tried, it didn’t necessarily seem like my cup of tea but then how do you know that without having the experience of it?”

The defendant added that he believed the advert had been placed by a couple, not just the husband, and he thought Joanne Young was in agreement.

He said: “Me at the time, a 21-year-old lad, read: ‘We as a couple, this is what we want to try and we are looking for other men to fulfil our fantasy.’ I was taking it at face value.”

Sanderson-Doyle said he found the experience, which happened after he turned 22, uncomfortable and said: “It wasn’t something I had tried before, I was out of my comfort zone, it’s a new experience, a bit of a scary experience.”

He said that he kept on his balaclava when he realised Young was filming with a camcorder and said: “I didn’t really want to be in a porn film, I do not think any 22-year-old guys or girls do.”

Sanderson-Doyle said the charges have “ruined his life” and career, having lost his security clearance working on nuclear defence projects for the Ministry of Defence.

He told the jury: “I couldn’t ever in my wildest dreams imagine that someone would do something so horrible to their wife. I’m sorry to Miss Young for my involvement in it.

“Since the day of my arrest, not a day has gone by where I’ve not thought of what I could have done differently. What signs did I miss? I feel guilt in the sense of if I had done something different, something could have put a stop to it then in 2016 instead of 2024, it’s another eight years of this monster doing the things he done.”

The other three defendants in the trial, who have been charged jointly with Young, are Norman Macksoni, 48, of Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire, who has denied one count of rape; Mohammed Hassan, 38, of Swindon, who has pleaded not guilty to one count of sexual touching; and Richard Wilkins, 62, of Toothill, Swindon, Wiltshire, who has pleaded not guilty to one count of rape and one of assault by penetration.

Philip Young, 50, has pleaded guilty to a total of 56 charges, and 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.