‘Doctor Strange’ actor Zara Phythian, husband, found guilty of child sex abuse

‘Doctor Strange‘ actor Zara Phythian and her husband Victor Marke were found guilty of multiple counts of child sexual abuse by a UK court on Wednesday.

The trial of the couple took place at the Nottingham Crown Court, and despite both Phythian and Marke denying all charges, they were unanimously found guilty of sexual abuse.

While Phythian was found to be guilty of 14 counts of sexual activity with a 13-year-old child between 2005 and 2008, Marke was held to be guilty of the same offences, in addition to four charges of indecent assault on a 15-year-old girl between 2002 and 2003.

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The first victim, who had earlier admitted to looking up to Phythian, alleged that the 37-year-old and her husband gave her alcohol before the ‘Doctor Strange’ actor dared her to perform oral sex on Marke.

“I remember trying to copy Zara’s reaction at the time because I looked up to her and tried to be like her,” BBC quoted the victim as saying. The victim added that after the aforementioned incident, Marke had sex with both Phythian and herself.

The second victim, meanwhile, alleged that Marke started having sex with her when she was 16, and that the abuse continued for a year.

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Despite denials by Phythian and Marke, the latter of whom frequently cried during the hearing, the court is expected to take a strong stance on the case when sentencing takes place next week.

The couple have been placed in custody ahead of next week’s hearing, which Judge Mark Watson has warned can result in a “considerable” prison sentence for the duo.

Both Phythian and Marke are martial arts instructors, and as such, have not appeared in too many films. Phythian’s career highlight was appearing alongside Benedict Cumberbatch as Brunette Zealot in the 2016 MCU film ‘Doctor Strange’.