A couple has been jailed after being convicted of the rape and sexual assault of an 18-year-old woman following a trial at Winchester Crown Court.
James Owen, 55, and his partner Ellen Rea, 52, were sentenced to eight years and two years in custody, respectively, for their roles in grooming and abusing the young woman.
The court heard that Owen, a personal trainer, had groomed the victim over a number of weeks, initially using training sessions between January and February 2021 as a guise for sexual assault. The couple then invited the woman to their home in Salisbury for dinner on 6 February 2021, where they plied her with alcohol, leading to further abuse.
Owen raped the young woman while Rea sexually assaulted her during the incident.
At the conclusion of the nine-day trial, Owen was convicted of rape, two counts of sexual assault, and conspiracy to commit sexual assault. Rea was found guilty of sexual assault and conspiracy to commit sexual assault.
Detective Constable Martyn Powell praised the victim’s bravery, stating, “James Owen and Ellen Rea conspired to abuse the trust of a young woman. Their horrendous actions were fuelled by their own selfish desires, without for a moment considering the long-lasting consequences that this abuse would have on their victim.”
He added, “I would like to pay tribute to the bravery of the young woman who worked with us to help bring these two offenders to justice and hope that she is able to find some solace in the lengthy custodial sentences that have been handed down today.
