A father-of-seven who became known as one of Britain’s ‘first gay dads’ and his husband who are accused of sex and trafficking offences have now been charged with child sex offences.
Trailblazing Barrie Drewitt-Barlow, 57 and his second husband Scott Hutchinson, 32, denied charges of rape, sexual assault and modern slavery trafficking for sexual exploitation last month.
Ahead of a further court appearance today, Essex Police revealed the couple had been charged with 18 additional offences.
Drewitt-Barlow faces 15 new charges, including two of sexual activity with a child and two of paying for sexual services of a child.
The others are five counts of rape, four of sexual assault, causing an individual to engage in sexual activity without consent and causing or inciting sexual activity.
The new offences involving Hutchinson are two counts of rape and one count of causing or inciting sexual activity.
They were not asked to enter pleas when they appeared at Chelmsford Crown Court today.
Prosecutor Louise Oakley KC said they face a trial from January 18 next year, with a time estimate of eight to ten weeks.
They were remanded in custody until a further hearing on September 7, when they are due to be asked for pleas.
Drewitt-Barlow and Hutchinson previously appeared before Chelmsford Magistrates Court on May 8 when defence barrister Oliver Snodin said both ‘strenuously denied’ the charges before them at the time.
Barrie Drewitt-Barlow, 57, has been accused of sexual activity with a child and two of paying for sexual services of a child. New charges against his husband, Scott, 32, include rape
The court was told they had ‘targeted, befriended and groomed’ four young men before raping them.
The case was adjourned until the hearing at Chelmsford Crown Court this afternoon.
The couple’s home in Danbury, Essex, was raided by police early last month when officers are understood to have knocked down a wooden fence to gain entry.
Forensic units then searched the property as marked police vehicles sat on the driveway. Properties in nearby Braintree and Maldon were also checked.
Prosecutor Serena Berry said at the previous hearing: ‘Barrie Drewitt-Barlow is in a relationship with Scott Drewitt-Barlow… they are what could be termed to be celebrities, who live multi-million (pound) lifestyles and have featured in many documentaries and reality TV shows.
‘They own the Maldon and Tiptree football club, and they have other businesses in the Essex area and also abroad in other countries.
‘It is alleged they have both targeted young males, they have recruited them, they have befriended them, they have groomed them. They have invited them to their home and other premises.’
Drewitt-Barlow and his former husband Tony became well-known in 1999 after they became one of the first gay couples in the UK to use a surrogate mother to have children.
Last year he bought non-league Maldon and Tiptree FC and was due to start in an ITV documentary last month about how he planned to turn the club’s fortunes around – although this has now been shelved.
Barrie Drewitt-Barlow (pictured) and his ex-husband Tony made headlines in 1999 when they became one of the first gay couples in the UK to have children through a surrogate mother
Essex Police raided properties associated with the pair on May 6.
The force said in a statement at the time: ‘Detectives have secured charges against two men in connection with an investigation into human trafficking for sexual exploitation, rape and other sexual offences.
‘Officers from the Serious Crime Directorate at Essex Police carried co-ordinated searches at premises in Danbury, Maldon, and Braintree on Wednesday and arrested two men. Since then we have been liaising with the Crown Prosecution Service.
‘We can now confirm that 57-year-old Barrie Drewitt-Barlow and 32-year-old Scott Drewitt-Barlow, both of Danbury, have both been charged with multiple offences including rape, sexual assault, and modern slavery trafficking for sexual exploitation.’
Trained social worker Drewitt-Barlow and dermatologist Tony, who lives in the couple’s former £6 million, ten-bedroom marital home in Florida and has no connection with the ongoing criminal case, had a total of five children through surrogates.
The first were twins Saffron and Aspen, and the couple successfully lobbied to be recognised as same-sex parents on the birth certificates, becoming ‘parent one’ and ‘parent two’ instead of ‘mother’ and ‘father’.
The businessmen, who had a collective fortune estimated to be between £40 million and £175 million after setting up firms including a consumer cosmetics testing company, became civil partners in 2006 and married in 2014 but split up in 2019.
Drewitt-Barlow went on to marry his former personal assistant Hutchinson and they lived with Tony and the children for some time in Florida.
In 2020 and 2022 the newly-weds had a daughter and son respectively.
Drewitt-Barlow’s forays into television have included having a stranger live in his house for a reality series and shows such as Rich House, Poor House and Below Deck Sailing Yacht.
In the past, he has claimed to have been approached by footballers who are secretly gay – including three he says are currently play in the Premier League.
He told the BBC that while he is happy to help, he did not want to become ‘the poster boy for gay footballing’.
‘I’ve already been classed as the poster boy for gay parenting or surrogacy and it doesn’t get anybody anywhere,’ he explained.
‘I don’t think people want to [come out] because they’re scared about what might happen in the dressing room, as well as on the pitch.
‘I think the only people that can truly help and make it more normalised are the leagues and the FA.’
Sandy Wiezycki, 58, who lives in Florida and has known Drewitt-Barlow since 2012 when she started working for the couple’s consumer research company in the US, told the Mail last month ‘It’s hard to believe these allegations.
‘Barrie’s always been a happy-go-lucky guy and a big character… But he’s devoted to his children and to his work.
‘I haven’t seen Barrie lately because he travels a lot. I know he’s been in England and I’m hoping this is all a mistake… I’m shocked.’
Essex Police asked anyone with information relating to the investigation to contact officers via the Major Incident Public Portal (MIPP).
They also set up an incident room on the phone number 0800 051 4526, or 020 7126 7612 for international callers.
