Dr Strange actress Zara Phythian jailed for eight years after she and husband sexually abused girl

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Doctor Strange actress Zara Phythian has been jailed for eight years at Nottingham Crown Court for the historical sexual abuse of a girl who was aged between 13 and 15.

Phythian’s husband Victor Marke was sentenced to 14 years’ imprisonment for jointly abusing the same victim, as well as the indecent assault of a second girl.

Passing sentence, Judge Mark Watson told the couple that he believed the start of the sexual abuse of the joint victim had been pre-planned. 

Phythian, who starred with Benedict Cumberbatch in the Marvel movie Doctor Strange, plied the teen with rum before making her perform a sex act on her partner.

The 36-year-old and Victor Marke would abuse the girl ‘once or twice a month’ at their home over a three year period from 2005. 

The judge told Marke: ‘I regard you as the driving force behind the abuse. You were clearly aware of the first incident but pretended to be asleep.

‘This could only have been a ruse agreed in advance.’

During the sentencing, the judge also said that Phythian’s ‘deviance’ was shaped by the influence that Marke had on her from an early age. 

A court heard the abuse began after Phythian gave the victim booze and asked if she wanted to ‘play dare’ with her husband.

Martial arts and Taekwondo ‘master’ Marke, 59, then had sex with the schoolgirl about 20 times on different occasions.

The victim, who cannot be named, described the couple as ‘Jekyll and Hyde’ characters and said Marke threatened her while ordering her to film the abuse.

The couple, of Mansfield, Notts., were found guilty of 14 counts of sexual activity, while Marke was convicted of four further charges of indecent assault against another teen.

After her sentence was passed, members of Phythian’s family shouted ‘we love you Zara’ to which she responded: ‘I’m innocent, I love you all.’

Earlier, Marke could be heard sobbing uncontrollably as he arrived into the court room to hear his fate. 

Sentencing, Judge Mark Watson said: ‘It has been said that both of you present as impressive individuals, each with a long list of accomplishment.

‘You, Victor Marke, were somebody your students looked up to. You Zara Marke were also someone that was looked up to by those you taught.

‘Most people have held you in high esteem. That is why you were able to groom the victims in this case and get away with it for so long.

‘You groomed her and there was a significant disparity in your ages.

‘Both of you exposed her to sex acts. You showed her how you liked it and she described it as a ‘very advanced, dirty, naughty side’.

‘She said ‘God I’ve done everything and I’m not even 16 yet.’

‘At the time she was already vulnerable, in the sense she was young and had not gone through puberty.

‘Much of the sexual behaviour was video recorded.

‘Victor Marke, I describe you as the driving force behind the abuse. The sex act that did take place would end when you had fulfilled your needs.

‘You were also the older part and occupied a higher status in the world of martial arts.

‘Both you and Zara Marke were immersed in that regime, everyone was all too aware of the pecking order – you were at the top.

‘Each of you shares responsibility. Your offending involved multiple types of sex acts and more importantly you offended together.

‘I have to deal with you both for a course of offending that lasted three years. I do take account of your good character but this may be of limiting value.

‘There will be no chance for either of you to see the other, which will cause some distress. ‘ 

Addressing Phythian, the judge said: ‘The sentence in your case will be shorter.

‘There was one victim and you were younger at the time and I do not view you as the driving force behind this.

‘You were besotted with Victor Marke. I am in no doubt your deviance was shaped by him.

‘You had been the focus of his attentions. Your relationship started at a time when you were young.

‘None of this excuses what you did, you may have done them to fulfill Victor Marke’s urges but you still chose to play your part. ‘

Jurors heard how the teen would regularly stay with the pair at their home when the abuse started.

She told police how she was given rum before being asked by Zara – also a martial arts expert – if she wanted to play ‘dares’.

The actress then began performing a sex act on her husband before asking the victim to do the same.

The girl claimed he then ‘took it in turns’ to have sex with them both.

She told officers the abuse continued until she turned 18 and included Victor asking her to record him and Zara.

The girl said he also filmed the abuse, telling the court it was an attempt to re-create the pornography the couple watched.

Giving evidence, the victim told the jury: ‘I knew it was wrong, but I did not know how to get out of the situation, or say anything.

‘I just did whatever they asked me to do. They made it seem like I was some naughty kid and they were helping me out.

‘I just felt like there was no way out. They told me not to say anything.’

The court was told Victor used his position of trust to ‘satisfy his sexual urges’ alongside his wife.

She was described as a ‘major personality’ who was ‘enjoying unprecedented personal and professional success’ after her role in Marvel film Doctor Strange.

Ahmed Hossain QC, prosecuting, said: ‘Both of those defendants commanded admiration and respect within the martial arts world.

‘Victor Marke groomed these two separate complainants when they were children and that he used his position of trust and authority to make them feel special so that he could satisfy his sexual urges.’

The court was told Zara, who uses the stage name Phythian, branded the allegations ‘bulls**t’ when she was quizzed by police.

She said: ‘They [the claims] are untrue. She has lied to me all the time I have known her.

‘I am not a paedophile, or a rapist. Nor is Vic.’

She revealed in the police interviews her husband claimed he had ‘consensual’ sex with the girl only after she turned 18.

The actress said she felt ‘confused’ and ‘would liked to have known about it’.

She also admitted she owned a sex toy ‘collection’ during questioning after the victim claimed the aids were used on her.

Nicole Hepburn, from the CPS, said after the case: ‘This was an appalling case of exploiting a position of trust and respect to gain sexual gratification.

‘Victor Marke ruthlessly took advantage of the age and vulnerability of these girls, as well as his status as an admired coach.

‘He made them feel special and listened to and then abused them. Zara Marke similarly exploited her position to perpetrate child abuse.

‘Both defendants have denied their actions, instead blaming the victims and accusing them of lying.

‘Thanks to their evidence, given clearly and credibly in court, the Markes themselves have been exposed as the true liars.

‘It does take courage to stand up to your abusers and give evidence in this way and I would like to express my respect and gratitude to the survivors for everything they have done to ensure the Markes are held responsible for their criminal actions.

‘This abuse may have occurred some years ago, but that makes it no less serious and nor is it a barrier to justice.

‘I would encourage anyone who has been abused in the past to come forward with the knowledge that the CPS will take your case seriously.’ 

Detective Inspector Parminder Dhillon, of Nottinghamshire Police, said after the case: ‘Today’s events mark the end of a very long and challenging legal process for the victims and their families.

‘Although these sentences can’t undo the very considerable harm done to the young women at the centre of this case, I do hope that they offer at least some degree of comfort.

‘The Markes worked together to exploit and abuse a girl for their own sexual gratification.

‘In doing so they committed some of the most serious offences that can be committed against children and have rightfully been handed very considerable jail sentences.

‘I hope this case serves as a timely reminder to all victims of sexual abuse.

‘If you come forward and tell us what happened to you, we will investigate and we will get to the truth.’ 

How Dr Strange actress Zara Phythian was ‘groomed’ by married martial artist when she was just 14 and he was 37 and ‘became his slave’ before starting sexual affair

By Andrew Young and Vivek Chaudhary for MailOnline 

Hollywood actress Zara Phythian – convicted of child sex offences – was ‘groomed’ by her married martial arts coach from the age of 14, accepted him as her ‘master’ and then later engaged in an affair with him, according to a former training partner.

The 36-year-old star, who featured in the 2016 Marvel superhero film Doctor Strange, alongside Benedict Cumberbatch and Tilda Swinton, took Victor Marke as her ‘master’ in an ancient Shaolin ceremony at the age of 17, 

After bowing before him and uttering some traditional verses, she allegedly swore allegiance to him, vowing to do everything he required of her, even if it went against her own values. 

A martial arts enthusiast who once trained with the couple and only gave his first name as Bob, told MailOnline: ‘The ceremony is taken very seriously in the martial arts world.

‘Once you accept somebody as your master, you have to completely accept what they ask you to do or say. 

‘It’s like being a slave because you are at the mercy of the master. You are not even supposed to think for yourself because the master is your God.’ 

Phythian was found guilty of sexually abusing a girl over three years, starting when she was 13.

She and her Taekwondo ‘master’ husband Marke, 59, were jointly charged with 14 historical counts of sexual activity with the girl.

Her husband was also charged with four counts of indecently assaulting another girl, aged 15 at the time, between 2002 and 2003.

The couple had denied all the charges, but a jury found them guilty following a trial at Nottingham Crown Court.

He added: ‘Victor groomed Zara as well as his other victims. He used his power and influence as a master of martial arts to dominate and control young girls.’ 

Martial arts enthusiast Paul, who once trained with the couple, told MailOnline: ‘Zara was very good at martial arts and was already a black belt by the time she started at Victor’s academy. 

‘He took an instant shine to her and devoted a lot of time and energy on her development. 

‘It was obvious that she was his favourite pupil, and she worshipped the ground he walked on.’ 

He added: ‘It was very odd when we found out that he and Zara were having a relationship because of their age difference and the fact that he was such a senior martial arts figure. 

‘Juliet was devastated because she was left alone to bring up their baby.’ 

MailOnline can also reveal that Victor and Zara were friends with another prominent martial arts master Paul Drury, who was jailed for 15 years in 2015 for raping a girl shortly before her 13th birthday at his home and his academy.

Zara and Victor visited and performed at his Black Belt Academy in Dawlish, Devon around at around the time they were carrying out their own crimes against their teenage victims. 

Drury also posted a gushing interview with Zara in 2008 which was titled: ‘Looks like a model. Hits like Bruce Lee. The Zara Story.’ 

Francis McGrath, defending Victor, suggested that his two victims may have ‘colluded’ with each other, saying that the first girl had ‘given’ the second girl’s name to detectives.

He told jurors: ‘The two complainants in this case are not independent of each other. This is not a case where two people have gone to police independently and a link has been established. 

‘You cannot eliminate the possibility there has been some form of collusion that has not been identified by the police. 

‘Mr Marke does not need to satisfy you that it has not occurred. It is a possibility that we cannot safely eliminate.’ 

But both the victims who are now women denied that they had conspired together in any way, and their claims were believed by the jury.