Zara Phythian of Doctor Strange Fame and husband convicted of child sex charges

In what might shock the Hollywood film fraternity, actress Zara Phythian and her husband Victor Marke were found guilty in the child sex case registered against them.

While the couple was both found guilty of having sex with a girl of 13 years, the husband, Marke, has four additional charges of sexually abusing another 15-year-old girl.

UK’s Nottingham Crown Court charged Zara Phythian guilty with 14 counts of indulging in sexual activity with a minor between 2005 and 2008. The activities started when the girl’s age was a mere 13 years. Her husband, Marke, was charged with four counts of sexual assault from 2002 to 2003. These assaults were against another girl when she was only 15 years old. Phythian and Marke are aged 37 and 59, respectively.


In a police interview, the first victim stated that she didn’t know how to get out of the situation or say anything despite knowing it was wrong. She claimed she looked up to the couple who plied her with alcohol before asking her for sexual favours. She was allegedly threatened if she informed anyone as Marke told her that none would believe her. He also threatened to harm her.

At the time of the crimes, the couple were martial arts instructors at Nottinghamshire in the UK. While the sentencing would be announced on 16th May, Judge Mark Watson has remanded the charged couple into police custody after the trial.

The senior investigating officer, Parminder Dhillon, commended the victims for showing great courage in coming forward. She said that while no punishment would undo the crimes done against these women, they can find comfort knowing that justice was served. Dhillon also hoped this case might remind people that the police take sexual abuse cases seriously.