Zara Phythian and her martial arts coach and husband were found guilty of multiple counts of child sex abuse.

Actress Zara Phythian, 37, who appeared in 2016's Doctor Strange, was sentenced to eight years of jail time after the U.K.'s Nottingham Crown Court found her guilty of sexually abusing a then 13-year-old girl from 2005 to 2008. Her husband, martial arts coach, Victor Marke, was sentenced to 14 years in prison on the same offenses and indecent assault charges on another underage girl he abused between 2002 to 2008.

The victim recalled and recounted to the court how Phythian plied her with rum and asked her to play "dares" involving her joining Phythian and Marke in a sexual act. This molestation continued until the victim turned 18, and Marke made her record Phythian and his attempt to recreate pornographic routines. The plaintiff stated that Marke told her no one would believe her and blackmailed her into harming her if she exposed anything.

Phythian refuted having any sexual intercourse with the victim, but the complainant was able to describe in detail a Chinese calligraphy tattoo near Phythian's private parts.

Marke was also indicted on additional four charges of indecent assault on another woman whom he abused when she was 15 on at least eight occasions between 2002 and 2003. After two days of deliberation, the jury found the two offenders guilty.

Judge Mark Watson of Nottingham Crown Court believed that the abuse was preplanned and regarded Victor Marke as the "driving force behind the abuse" and that he had shown a "high level of depravity" during the offenses.

Zara Phythian and Victor Marke were notified that they would have to serve at least half of their verdicts before being considered for parole.

back