Essex football club owners charged with rape and trafficking
Barrie Drewitt-Barlow and his husband Scott have appeared at Chelmsford Magistrates' Court charged with rape, multiple counts of sexual assault and modern slavery trafficking linked to grooming young men; offences are alleged to have occurred between 2013 and 2026. The couple, who took over Maldon & Tiptree FC in 2025 and oversaw the club’s promotion to the seventh tier, were remanded in custody and will appear at Crown Court on 5 June. Police searches were conducted at the Drewitt-Barlow Stadium, their home, and The Swan pub in Braintree, with a Rolls-Royce removed from the stadium as inquiries continue.