Essex Police charge Maldon and Tiptree owners with human trafficking
Maldon and Tiptree FC owners Barrie and Scott Drewitt-Barlow have been charged with multiple offences including rape and human trafficking for sexual exploitation following their arrest in Essex.
The 57-year-old property developer and his 32-year-old husband were taken into custody by authorities on Wednesday.
Forensic officers have since conducted extensive searches across several locations connected to the couple.
These inquiries included the non-league side’s stadium, the pair’s home in Danbury, and a Braintree public house owned by the senior partner.
Both men are scheduled to appear at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court on Friday to face the allegations.
Police seize evidence from club grounds
During the ongoing investigation, authorities gathered a significant haul of evidence from the Drewitt-Barlow Stadium.
A Rolls Royce belonging to the 57-year-old was loaded onto a trailer and removed for forensic examination.
The couple only recently cemented their influence in local football, having finalised a multi-million pound takeover of the Essex club in 2025.
High-profile takeover and television fame
Under their stewardship, the step seven outfit experienced immediate success and secured promotion within the English football pyramid.
The ambitious owners attracted notable former professionals to the club, appointing former Manchester City midfielder Kevin Horlock as manager.
Ex-West Ham United striker Freddie Sears was also brought in as the club sought to rapidly climb the non-league ranks.
Following the takeover, the primary owner renamed the club’s home ground after himself and claimed average matchday attendances had surged from 70 to 800 fans.
Before entering the sports industry, the television personality first gained national attention in 1999 alongside a former partner as Britain’s first gay fathers via a surrogate.