A gay couple who were arrested in connection with an investigation into human trafficking for sexual exploitation have been charged with further offences.
As Gript previously reported, Barrie Drewitt-Barlow (57) and his partner, 32-year-old Scott Drewitt-Barlow (Hutchinson), of Southwood Chase, Danbury, were arrested last month by Essex police.
Since their arrest, detectives from the Serious Crime Directorate at Essex Police have continued to investigate following arrests carried out last month.
A spokesperson for Essex police issued an update on the investigation today, Monday, the 22nd of June, saying, “We can confirm that 57-year-old Barrie Drewitt-Barlow has now been additionally charged with 15 further offences.”
“These include: two offences of sexual activity with a child; two counts of paying for sexual services of a child; five counts of rape; four counts of sexual assault; causing an individual to engage in sexual activity without consent; causing or inciting sexual activity.”
We can also confirm that 32-year-old Scott Drewitt-Barlow has now been additionally charged with two counts of rape and one count of causing or inciting sexual activity.
The men, pictured, were further remanded in custody.
On the 23rd of May, police announced that two more men had been charged in relation to the investigation. Both men were arrested on Thursday, 21 May and were questioned on suspicion of a number of offences before the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) authorised charges on multiple offences, including rape and sexual assault.
Richard Howard-Smith, 35, and Eldred Reames, 24, both of Southwood Chase, Danbury, were remanded into custody to appear at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court on Saturday, 23 May.
Case Background
The luxury home, as well as other properties of “Britain’s first gay dad”, millionaire Barrie Drewitt-Barlow (57), was raided by UK police in a rape and human trafficking probe.
After the raid on the mansion on the 7th of May last, Essex Police said two suspects were arrested on suspicion of rape, human trafficking for sexual exploitation and administering a noxious substance.
A police spokesperson stated, “Officers from the Serious Crime Directorate at Essex Police have today carried out coordinated searches of premises in Danbury, Maldon and Braintree as part of their investigation.”
“Searches remain ongoing at all of the locations. Two suspects from Danbury have also been arrested,” the spokesperson said, adding that both men were being questioned while detained.
This morning, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) announced that the TV personality and his partner, Scott Drewitt-Barlow (Hutchinson), aged 32, both with addresses in Danbury, Essex, have been charged with arranging or facilitating travel of another person with a view to exploitation, as well as sexual offences, including rape.
CPS spokesperson, Christian Meikle, said, “The Crown Prosecution Service has decided to charge Barrie Drewitt-Barlow and Scott Drewitt-Barlow following a police investigation into alleged human trafficking for sexual exploitation and rape.
“Barrie Drewitt-Barlow and Scott Drewitt-Barlow have each been charged with arranging or facilitating travel of another person with a view to exploitation, as well as other sexual offences, including rape.
“We have worked closely with Essex Police as it carried out its investigation.” Both were to appear before Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court today.
In 1999, Barrie Drewitt-Barlow and his then civil partner, Tony, who is not implicated in the police investigation, were reported to have “made history” as the first gay couple in Europe to obtain a child through surrogacy after procuring twins.
In 2021, Drewitt-Barlow “made history” again, along with his by then ex-civil partner, Tony, and his at the time fiancé Scott Hutchinson, when the trio announced that they would become the parents of triplets.
All three men are reported to have provided sperm for the IVF procedure, saying that they wished to see all of their names on the children’s birth certificates.
“It is the most incredible feeling. We are thrilled. Family is everything,” said Barrie to The Sunday Times.
“I am as excited about this pregnancy as I was about the first. I never thought I would be going down this road again, but I’m so in love with Scott and have so enjoyed having Valentina that when Scott said he’d love to do it again, I jumped at the chance. And here we are, pregnant yet again. I love it,” Barrie Drewitt-Barlow said of the arrangement.
“We see ourselves simply as a family. That’s what we are, and we love the way our life is and the bubble we have created to keep our children safe and happy,” he said.
“If I have three children, we will have parent one, two, and three and I will challenge the law again,” he stated in a 2021 interview with the Sunday Times.
After the 1999 surrogacy arrangement, he and Tony became the first people in the UK to be listed as “parent one” and “parent two” on the babies’ birth certificates instead of the traditional “mother” and “father” after a legal battle.
“If I have three children, we will have parent one, two, and three and I will challenge the law again,” he said.
Barrie and Scott Dewitt-Barlow have described themselves as a “modern family” on their Youtube channel.
