A same-sex couple appeared in court today in Britain accused of rape and sexual assaults against young men. The a case has caused widespread outrage in the United Kingdom because one of the accused was the country’s first openly gay man to become a father through surrogacy.

According to the Daily Mail, 57-year-old Barrie Drewitt-Barlow and his 32-year-old husband, Scott Hutchison, face charges of rape, sexual assault, and human trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation.

It was reportedly heard in court that the couple allegedly targeted young men — not necessarily gay — approached them, and then exploited them sexually.

He has two children with his daughter’s former partner

Barrie Drewitt-Barlow, a well-known businessman and television personality in Britain, has had seven children through surrogacy. Two of those children were with his daughter’s former partner.

He and his husband are co-owners of Maldon & Tiptree FC.

According to Sky News, Drewitt-Barlow faces three charges of sexual assault against a man, four charges of raping a man over the age of 16, and two charges related to arranging or facilitating the travel of another person for exploitation purposes.

His husband is accused of one sexual assault against a man, one rape charge involving a man over 16, and two charges of arranging or facilitating another person’s travel for exploitation.

They denied the charges

The two men appeared in court today and denied all charges. According to reports, the development comes just days after coordinated police raids on properties linked to the couple in various parts of the country.

As reported by the Daily Mail, police officers raided the couple’s residence on Wednesday, accompanied by forensic investigation units, while several police vehicles were stationed outside.

Barrie Drewitt-Barlow is known in Britain both for his business activities and his media presence. Fourteen months ago, he acquired the amateur football club Maldon & Tiptree FC and was due to star in a new documentary by ITV about the management of the club and his plans to reorganize it.

However, following the recent developments, the series was canceled.

Among the first openly gay parents

He and his former husband made headlines in 1999 when they became one of the first same-sex couples in the United Kingdom to have children through surrogacy.

In recent years, Drewitt-Barlow appeared in several reality and lifestyle television productions, including Rich House, Poor House and Below Deck Sailing Yacht. In another TV program, he reportedly allowed a stranger to live in his home.

In the past, he had also publicly stated that football players — three of whom, he claimed, currently play in the Premier League — had privately approached him because they were gay but had not publicly come out.

In an interview with BBC, he said he did not want to be considered “the face of the gay community in football,” noting that players fear reactions both in locker rooms and on the pitch. He added that football leagues and the The Football Association were the institutions best positioned to help normalize the situation.

In an official statement, Essex Police said the investigation was conducted by its Serious Crime Directorate and that the two men were arrested following coordinated operations. Authorities reportedly worked with prosecutors before filing charges, while the trial was adjourned until June 5.