Louis Theroux's Netflix documentary Tell Them You Love Me leaves viewers 'disturbed' - as he recounts story of how married professor helped 'intellectually disabled' man type consent to have sex with her

 Viewers who've watched Louis Theroux's latest documentary have deemed it 'disturbing' and 'deeply unsettling'.  

The British documentary maker's latest release, Tell Them You Love Me, has soared to the top of Netflix's global chart, after being released on the streaming service in the US.

However, the programme, available on Sky Documentaries and NOW in the UK, is anything but an easy watch, with the show sparking a deluge of comments on social media - with many viewers saying they were left 'shaken' by the real-life story. 

Theroux, 54, deep dives into how Anna Stubblefield, a married Rutgers University ethics professor, was convicted of sexually abusing Derrick Johnson, a nonverbal man with cerebral palsy who she'd been asked to help. 

Johnson has the mental age of an 18-month-old child and the original case in 2015 was pinned against the fact he couldn't can't to a sexual relationship. 

In a case that shocked the US at the time, Stubblefield's sentence was sensationally overturned after two years on a technicality - and Theroux's documentary is the first time she's spoken in-depth about her version of events. 

Tell Them You Love Me recounts the shocking true story of New Jersey professor Anna Stubblefield, who had an affair with Derrick Johnson, a non-speaking man with cerebral palsy and the mental age of an 18-month-old child

Anna, who was then 39 and married, met Derrick in 2009, then 28, after his family hoped her expertise in 'facilitated communication' could help their nearly mute son to communicate using a keypad

The American professor, who was married at the time, was sentenced to 12 years in 2015, but was paroled for life in 2018. 

Reaction to the programme widely condemned Stubblefield, with the interviews with her, her mother and Johnson's parents leaving many shocked.

One wrote: 'I’m watching out right now I can’t believe what the hell I’m watching'.

Another added: '#tellthemyouloveme has me completely shocked.' 

One person wrote: 'I didn't know what it was about and when I found out I was stunned!'

Anna claimed that she embarked on a physical affair with Derrick after forging a sexual connection through the controversial technique, which sees someone guide the hand of a person to help them type

The American professor was initally sentenced to 12 years in 2015, although she was paroled for life in 2018

And a viewer who'd just finished it added: 'I watched it yesterday and I’m still mad.'  

Louis has revealed he came across the New Jersey story ten years ago but it was a 'struggle' to get the film commissioned. 

Speaking for the first time, Anna claimed Derrick had 'taken charge' and initiated sex with her.

However, according to Derrick's mother Daisy Johnson and brother John Johnson, who act as his legal guardians, he is intellectually disabled and cannot make those decisions.

Anna said: 'I'm pretty sure I haven't been re-writing things in my head. Derrick and I had debated on whether we wanted to say anything to Daisy and John about the change in our relationship.

According to Derrick's mother Daisy Johnson (left) and brother John Johnson, (right) who act as his legal guardians, he is intellectually disabled and not capable of consent

Daisy claimed he didn’t have the capacity to engage in physical or emotional intimacy, and the extent to which he used a keyboard to communicate with her wouldn’t have been possible unless Anna was manipulating his hands

'We knew we were going to tell them eventually, so it was more that we were enjoying the initial romance when it's very private. It is very intimate and it is just the two of you, and it changes when you start sharing with family.'

Speaking about the first time they became intimate Anna recalled that Derrick had 'taken charge' and asked her to remove her clothing. 

Anna claimed that she embarked on a physical affair with Derrick after forging a connection through the controversial technique of facilitated communication. 

Facilitated communication is when an individual steadies the hand of a person who struggles to communicate and helps them to type on a keyboard. 

She said: 'It's difficult for him to kiss so he wanted to practise. Like everything else it is a physical challenge for him. 

'I could tell he was very tense. I said: ''Talk to me, what's going on?''. He typed: ''I really love being with you, I love doing this, but I am overwhelmed right now, I need a minute".'

Over the course of their meetings, Anna says the two fell in love and had a consensual sexual relationship, leaving his family horrified (pictured Derrick's mother)

Louis has revealed he came across the New Jersey story, which is based on Anna Stubblefield and Derrick Johnson lives, 10 years ago but it was a 'struggle' to get the film commissioned

Anna said she presumed the moment had passed, saying she didn't want to pressure Derrick into anything, and told him that because it was 'all new' to him he had to 'call the shots.'

She recalled: 'He started typing "I touch your breasts", then he typed, "Take your shirt off all the way". So I did that and then he said: "Take the rest of your clothes off". So I did and then he said: "I dreamed about this".

'It seemed to me he had really taken control of the situation. He was ordering me around but that was kind of cool because I wasn't necessarily anticipating that element of the relationship.

'He said: "I long to hold you the way men do". He said: "Do you think it will even be possible with my cerebral palsy for us to make love?" and I said, "I have no idea but there is only one way to find out".'    

According to facilitatedcommunication.org the controversy surrounding facilitated communication emerged in the 1990s when concerns were raised about the validity and reliability of the method.

Critics argue that the messages produced through FC may not originate from the individual but rather reflect the facilitator's thoughts or desires

Derrick and Anna met in 2009 when John, who was a student of Anna’s, approached the professor about his brother’s condition and she offered to help Derrick with his communication skills. 

He soon learned to use a keyboard with an LED screen to type and, with Anna's assistance, he began taking a university class.

Derrick's mother Daisy recalled the moment that Anna and her son broke the news of their intimate relationship to her and her older son John. 

Daisy said: 'She said ''We are in love, and we have been intimate, he is a man in every sense of the word''. I sat on my hands and I said: ''You did what?''. I tried to be civil, John had gone somewhere, I think to throw up.'

John said: 'I was shocked I didn't know what to make of it at the time. But I felt myself getting so angry and rage-filled that I had left. I went downstairs I paced a few times, I had to let my anger subside.'

Anna recalled that the interaction went well and claimed that Daisy hugged her goodbye and said: ''We will figure this out''.' 

However, the next morning Anna got a call from John saying they did not feel comfortable with her seeing Derrick.

Daisy alleged that her son was incapable of consent, claiming he didn’t have the capacity to engage in physical or emotional intimacy, and the extent to which he used a keyboard to communicate with her wouldn’t have been possible unless Anna was manipulating his hands.

In 2015, Anna was found guilty and sentenced to 12 years in prison, but in 2017, Anna’s appeal was granted and her conviction revoked, on a technicality

Anna said: 'I never got any vibe off John or Daisy that they didn't 100 percent believe that what Derrick said was his words. 

'I had been careful in the beginning to make sure that I wasn't influencing him, but there were so many situations where he was telling me information I didn't know and at the beginning I was checking it to make make sure I wasn't influencing him.

'The fact that we had arguments and disagreements and he very clearly had his own mind - he more than proved himself. I had all this proof that I could of shared with them to reassure them.'

However, Daisy claimed her son didn’t have the capacity to engage in physical or emotional intimacy, and the extent to which he used a keyboard to communicate with Anna wouldn’t have been possible unless she was manipulating his hands.

Tell Them You Love Me is out now on Netflix in the US, and available on Sky Documentaries and NOW in the UK