Amateur photographer who drugged and raped male models jailed for 11 years

A British photographer has been jailed after drugging and raping male models at his home.

Nigel Wilkinson, 43, was sentenced to 11 years in jail at the Bristol Crown Court last month after pleading guilty to two counts of rape, three counts of administering a substance with intent to rape and possession of Class C drugs Flunitrazepam – commonly known as Rohypnol – and Nitrazepam.

Wilkinson found his victims through photos they posted on social media sites Twitter and Instagram. After making contact, the shop manager would offer the men a free photo shoot, even paying their train fares to Bristol.

Once they arrived at his home in Bedminster, he would take photos and ply his victims with spiked cocktails from a bar set up in his kitchen.

The drinks were spiked with sedatives like the date rape drug Rohypnol – and detectives later found tablets stashed in a shirt pocket in his wardrobe.

His trail of abuse was discovered out after a 19-year-old man from Kent texted his girlfriend from inside Wilkinson’s home after he tasted a tablet on his tongue.

When his parents couldn’t find him, they called the police. The teen was later found at Wilkinson’s home with no memory of what had happened to him. Tests found he had been drugged and raped.

It is also believed that Wilkinson’s victims were both straight and gay models.

Detectives believe there may be many more victims, with police have described his crimes as “truly horrifying”.

Words: Bryan Bernal

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