Barry Drewitt-Barlow with his husband Scott Hutchison

British businessman and television personality Barry Drewitt-Barlow, who became widely known in Britain when he and his former partner were among the country’s “first gay fathers” through surrogacy, has been charged with multiple serious sex offenses along with his husband Scott Hutchison.Essex Police said Drewitt-Barlow, 57, and Hutchison, 32, both from Danbury, Essex, have been charged with crimes including rape, sexual assault and trafficking into modern slavery for sexual exploitation, the Daily Mail reported, citing police.The pair were due to appear before Chelmsford Magistrates Court on Friday.The charges follow co-ordinated police raids on properties in Danbury, Maldon and Braintree earlier this week as part of an investigation led by Essex Police’s Serious Crime Directorate.“Officers from Essex Police’s Serious Crime Directorate carried out co-ordinated searches at premises in Danbury, Maldon and Braintree on Wednesday and arrested two men,” the force said in a statement.Police said investigators were working with the Crown Prosecution Service before formally approving charges against the pair.“We can now confirm that Barry Drewitt-Barlow, 57, and Scott Drewitt-Barlow, 32, of Danbury, have been charged with multiple crimes, including rape, sexual assault and trafficking for the purposes of modern slavery for sexual exploitation,” the statement said.Drewitt-Barlow first attracted national attention in 1999 when she and her then-partner Tony Drewitt-Barlow became one of the first gay couples in Britain to have a child through a surrogate mother.Over the years, he also appeared in television programs including Rich House, Poor House and Below Deck Sailing Yacht.The businessman later entered football ownership after acquiring non-league side Maldon & Tiptree FC. British media reports state that an ITV documentary series focusing on his plans for the club has now been canceled following the allegations.Drewitt-Barlow has previously spoken publicly about sexuality in professional football, claiming that some current footballers had approached him privately about being gay.He previously told the BBC that he did not want to be “the poster boy of gay football”. Drewitt-Barlow said, “I’ve already been categorized as the poster boy of gay parenting or surrogacy and that doesn’t get anyone anywhere.”“I don’t think people want that [come out] Because they are scared of what could happen in the dressing room as well as on the pitch. I think the league and the FA are the only people who can really help and make it more common.