Philip Young, who is also reportedly a former Conservative councillor, denied charges of possession of indecent images of children and extreme images.

“We worked closely with Wiltshire police to build a thorough and compelling case that resulted in him pleading guilty to dozens of offences today,” said prosecutor James Foster.

Five other men aged between 31 and 61 also appeared at the criminal court on Friday, charged with various sexual offences against Joanne Young.

Four out of five of them have pleaded not guilty. The fifth man has not yet entered a plea.

Wiltshire Police detective superintendent Geoff Smith said in a statement in December that the case stemmed from a “complex and extensive investigation”.

After Friday’s plea, Smith called the hearing a “significant landmark” and paid tribute to Joanne Young’s “incredible bravery”.

“The victim in this case, Joanne, has taken the decision to waive her automatic legal right to anonymity,” he said.

The case bears echoes of a totally separate, unrelated 2024 trial in France in which Gisele Pelicot waived her right to anonymity to raise awareness about sexual violence.