Man accused of sexually abusing woman claims 'vile' husband who drugged her used them as 'pawns in his sick little game'

A man accused of sexually abusing a woman has claimed he was tricked into sleeping with her after responding to an advert her 'vile' husband had posted online.

Former Conservative councillor Philip Young previously admitted charges of drugging and assaulting his wife Joanne Young over a 13-year period at their home in Swindon.

Four other men are on trial at Winchester Crown Court accused of sexual abuse.

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

The court heard today he had responded to an advert placed by Young on Craigslist to have sex with his wife in June 2016.

Sanderson-Doyle said he had believed Ms Young was consenting to the sexual activity and claimed he had stopped when he felt she was not happy.

Responding to questions by prosecutor Sarah Jones KC, he said: 'You make me out as this horrible monster wanting to do horrible things, that is not the case.

'Mr Young was using pawns in his sick little game, he was doing it to his wife for 14 years, he did it to me.'

Connor Sanderson-Doyle, from Swindon, is charged with sexual assault by penetration and sexual touching 

Footage shows the arrest of Connor Sanderson-Doyle from Swindon. Sanderson-Doyle has denied sexual assault by penetration and sexual touching

Philip Young (pictured) has admitted nearly 50 sex offences which he carried out against his wife Joanne Young over a 13-year period

Sanderson-Doyle, who told the court he works in quality assurance and had previously worked on MoD nuclear defence projects before losing his job following the allegations against him, described Young as a 'vile monster'.

He said: 'Never in my wildest dreams or nightmares would I imagine what I walked into.

'If I didn't care how Mrs Young was feeling I wouldn't have stopped, I wouldn't have apologised when I accidentally hurt her.

'Never in my right mind would I have jumped to the right conclusion of what Philip Young was doing to his wife.

'While I thought things were weird and strange and not what I am used to and outside my comfort zone, I took it as it was odd not that it was nefarious, not that as what Philip Young was actually doing.'

Sanderson-Doyle said he had lost his career and almost lost his house due to the 'horrible stress' on his wife and mother.

He added: 'I do feel hard done by, so yes woe is me.

'I think Mr Young's actions caused this, I think my naivety has played a part.'

(Left to right) Norman Macksoni, Connor Sanderson-Doyle, Richard Wilkins and Mohammed Hassan are accused of sexual offences against Joanne Young

Mohammed Hassan, 38, of Swindon, has pleaded not guilty to one count of sexual touching

Richard Wilkins, 62, from Swindon, has denied one count of rape and one of assault by penetration

The other 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; and Richard Wilkins, of Toothill, Swindon, Wiltshire, who has pleaded not guilty to one count of rape and one of assault by penetration.

Mohammed Hassan, 38, of Swindon, has pleaded not guilty to one count of sexual touching of Ms Young.

Giving evidence, Wilkins said he had worked as a taxi driver as well as a lorry driver and had driven vehicles to Romania for the Red Cross between 1989 and 1990.

The 62-year-old said he had answered the advert placed by Young on Craigslist out of 'curiosity'.

He said Young had said his wife wanted 'anonymity' of the person involved and therefore she would be blindfolded.

Wilkins said he was concerned the advert said she would be 'pissed' and he said: 'I remember saying it wouldn't be much fun if she's pissed, he said maybe she has had a drink, she pretends to sleep and if you get her going she might respond.'

He said Young said it would be a 'fantasy thing that she would be asleep', and added: 'The scenario was I would go there, he would let me in, she would be upstairs pretending to be asleep. I would come in, have sex and then leave.'

When he was informed of where the Youngs lived, he said: 'I thought it was a nice area, it would be a nice couple' and Young had told him 'they were a happily married couple and this was what they liked to do'.

Philip Young admitted almost 50 sexual offences against his ex-wife Joanne earlier this year, including raping her, drugging her and voyeurism

Four men are standing trial accused of sexually assaulting Ms Young, who has waived her right to anonymity 

Wilkins said he asked to speak to Ms Young during a phone call prior to the incident but Young told him she was busy but had said to inform him 'she's looking forward to having you'.

He added he got the impression the Youngs 'seemed endearing, like it was genuine'.

Wilkins said: 'The impression I got, he was very confident about it, that they had a lot of experience, it was something they were comfortable doing it, they were happy doing it.'

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.