AJW

First Gay Dad’ Barrie Drewitt-Barlow Faces Child Sex Charges as 18 More Offences Are Added. Quite honestly, this is deeply disturbing. Barrie Drewitt-Barlow, once widely known as one of Britain’s “first gay dads,” and his husband Scott Hutchinson, are now facing a staggering number of serious allegations. Drewitt-Barlow, 57, and Hutchinson, 32, had already indicated not guilty pleas to charges including rape, sexual assault and modern slavery trafficking for sexual exploitation. But now, ahead of a further court appearance, Essex Police have revealed the couple have been charged with 18 additional offences. Drewitt-Barlow alone faces 15 new charges, including two counts of sexual activity with a child and two counts of paying for the sexual services of a child. The remaining charges include five counts of rape, four counts of sexual assault, causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent, and causing or inciting sexual activity. Hutchinson faces three additional charges 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. Prosecutor Louise Oakley KC told the court they now face a trial scheduled for 18 January next year, expected to last eight to ten weeks. If proven true, the scale and severity of these allegations are horrifying. The priority now must be justice, accountability, and above all protecting vulnerable children. Absolutely shocking.

EXCUSE ME, WHAT