LONDON - British actress Zara Phythian - who acted in the superhero movie Doctor Strange (2016) - and her husband Victor Marke have been jailed for sexually abusing a 13-year-old girl, British media reported.

Marke, a martial arts instructor, was also convicted of sexually abusing a 15-year-old girl on his own.

The couple were sentenced at the Nottingham Crown Court on Monday (May 16), with Phythian, 38, given eight years in prison, while Marke, 59, was jailed for 14 years.

They were found guilty of 14 joint charges of sexual activity with the first girl, who is now an adult, between 2005 and 2008.

Marke was also convicted of four other charges of indecent assault on the second girl between 2002 and 2003.

The couple had denied all the charges, but were found guilty by a jury after a two-week trial.

The first victim told the court that her mother was almost broken by what Marke did to her.

The second victim said in a victim impact statement to the court that the couple has robbed her of her "innocence" and left her "unable to create good and balanced relationships".

Judge Mark Watson noted that Marke was the "driving force behind the abuse".

"Whilst you denied in cross-examination that you were besotted with Victor Marke, on the evidence I have heard I am in no doubt that your deviance was shaped by the influence that he had upon you from an early age," Watson told Phythian during sentencing, BBC reported.

The couple was told that they would have to serve at least half of their sentences before being considered for parole.

Phythian is best known for playing Brunette Zealot in the Marvel movie Doctor Strange, which starred Benedict Cumberbatch, Mads Mikkelsen and Tilda Swinton.

She has also performed stunts in various movies and television shows.