Woman whose ex-husband is accused of drugging and raping her was hailed as hero

A woman who was allegedly drugged and raped by her ex-husband and sexually assaulted by several other men was recognized as an ‘extraordinary’ local hero.

Joanne Young, 48, has waived her right to anonymity and insisted she be named in reporting as the complainant in more than 60 offenses.

Her former partner Philip Young, 49, appeared in court yesterday facing 56 charges, including multiple counts of rape and administering a substance with intent to stupefy.

It has since emerged that Joanne was honoured in September for volunteering with the Wiltshire Search and Rescue team.

She received the chief officer’s commendation, which recognizes acts of exceptional bravery, for her efforts in helping to recover the body of a missing person from the River Avon.

Joanne and two other volunteers had been told a specialist dive team would need 10 hours to reach a missing person in the river, so they decided to recover the body themselves.

Chief constable Catherine Roper said she showed ‘extraordinary dedication, professionalism and humanity in the face of challenging and emotionally demanding circumstances’, The Times reports.

The alleged offenses against Joanne span a 13-year period between 2010 and 2023 in which at least five other men are said to have attacked her.

Norman Macksoni and Dean Hamilton, both 47, and Richard Wilkins, 61, have all been charged with one count of rape in connection with the case.

Connor Sanderson Doyle, 31, stood charged with sexual assault by penetration and sexual touching.

Mohammed Hassan, 37, is charged with sexual touching.

All five will spend Christmas at home after being bailed ahead of the next hearing in the case at Swindon Crown Court on January 23.

Apart from Hamilton, each defendant covered his face while walking to and from the magistrates’ court.

Police have released images of a seventh man they want to question in relation to an alleged sex assault on Joanne.

The suspect is described as of a large build with distinctive scarring to the back of his head.

He also has prominent lips, a hairy body, and balding with short or shaved hair.

Crucially, there is one distinctive tattoo on the left side of his chest at the time of the images. 

The pictures were taken in April-May 2022, which is when the alleged sexual assault he is linked to occurred.

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