Stockport Man Who Admitted 20 Years of Drugging and Raping His Wife Provides Witness Statement as Trial of 12 Co-Defendants Awaits Opening

A man who has confessed to secretly drugging and raping his wife over a period spanning more than two decades has now given a witness statement describing his version of events, a jury at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court has been told. The husband, who cannot be identified in order to protect his wife's legal right to anonymity, had also faced allegations that he invited 13 other men to abuse her between 2018 and November 2025.

The defendant, a man in his sixties from the Stockport area of Greater Manchester, had originally denied all allegations against him. However, last month he entered guilty pleas to 60 separate offences. These include charges of rape and administering a substance with intent — a charge that relates to the deliberate drugging of a victim to facilitate a sexual offence. His admissions mark a significant development in a case that has shocked the local community and raised wider concerns about the use of drugs in domestic abuse.

The jury of nine women and three men, along with two female reserve jurors, was formally sworn in at the start of September. Since then, proceedings have been repeatedly delayed for a combination of legal and practical reasons, meaning the panel has yet to hear the full prosecution case. On the most recent occasion they were called into court, the jurors received a detailed update from Judge Maurice Greene regarding the current state of the case.

Judge Greene explained that the husband, who is no longer a defendant in the ongoing trial, has produced a lengthy written statement about "what he says happened." The judge described the document as containing "a lot of detail" and confirmed that it has been disclosed in full to all defence counsel involved in the proceedings. He told the jury that the statement comprises "lots of pages and lots of documents," and that legal teams are still "going through it carefully" as part of ongoing preparatory work.

The jury had already been informed at an earlier hearing that the husband had admitted 60 offences and would therefore not stand trial alongside the remaining defendants. His removal from the trial as an active defendant means that the prosecution case will now focus on the 12 other men who continue to deny any wrongdoing. That prosecution case is scheduled to open on Monday 19 October, when the jury has been asked to return to court.

The co-defendants are a geographically diverse group of men, ranging in age from 28 to 74, drawn from across England and Scotland. They include Philip Wild, 58, from Stockport; Sean Peers, 38, also from Stockport; Jordan Wallace, 31, from Manchester; Alan Keelan, 42, from Manchester; and Jonathan Kirk, 43, from Stockport. Also facing trial are Robert Stewart, 70, from Stockport; Mohammed Sabir, 28, who has no fixed abode; and Graham Brougham, 74, from Northwich in Cheshire.

The remaining defendants listed before the court are Richard Townsend, 37, from Rochdale; Karl Lindsay, 55, from Taunton in Somerset; Daniel Rayner, 42, from Whitstable in Kent; and David Graves, 59, from Ilkeston in Derbyshire. One additional co-defendant, 59-year-old Keith Fotheringham from Dundee in Scotland, has already pleaded guilty to several offences and will not be part of the contested trial either.

The case has attracted significant attention because of the prolonged nature of the abuse alleged and the fact that the victim is said to have been unaware of what was happening to her for many years. The charge of administering a substance with intent is typically used in cases where a defendant is accused of incapacitating a victim to commit a sexual offence. Prosecutors allege that the husband used this method systematically over two decades, and further allege that he facilitated the abuse of his wife by other men from 2018 onwards.

Legal commentators note that the decision by the husband to provide a witness statement — rather than simply remaining silent after his guilty pleas — could have complex implications for the trial of the remaining defendants. His statement may be used by the prosecution as part of its case against the others, but it may also be scrutinised closely by defence barristers seeking to challenge its reliability or to distance their clients from his account. The judge's remarks that the statement is long and detailed suggest that it may take considerable court time to fully examine.

The delays in the trial have also placed a significant burden on the jury, who have been asked to remain available over an extended period. Judge Greene's decision to keep the panel informed about procedural developments reflects the unusual nature of a case where one central defendant has already admitted guilt while a dozen others continue to contest the allegations. The jury has been told it will not need to consider the husband's guilt, since he has already pleaded guilty, but it will need to assess the evidence against each of the remaining 12 men individually.

The case also touches on broader issues relating to violence against women and the ways in which domestic abuse can remain hidden for years. The fact that the alleged offending is said to have continued undetected for more than 20 years raises questions about how such prolonged abuse can go unnoticed, and about the support available to victims who may not realise they have been drugged or assaulted. Greater Manchester Police and local support services have previously highlighted the importance of reporting domestic abuse, even when victims are unsure whether a crime has occurred.

The husband's guilty pleas to 60 offences represent one of the most extensive single admissions of sexual offending in a domestic context to come before the courts in recent years. The charges of rape and administering a substance with intent carry serious custodial sentences, and his eventual sentencing will be a significant moment in the case. However, sentencing is likely to take place only after the conclusion of the trial of the remaining defendants, so that the full picture of the alleged offending can be established.

As the case stands, all 12 remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The prosecution is expected to present its evidence against them in detail when the trial opens on 19 October. The jury has been instructed to consider only the evidence presented in court and to ignore any media reporting or speculation about the case. Judge Greene's careful management of the jury's expectations reflects the importance of ensuring a fair trial for all parties.

For the victim, whose anonymity is protected by law, the prolonged legal process is likely to be deeply distressing. Support organisations emphasise that victims of sexual violence and domestic abuse are entitled to specialist help, including independent sexual violence advisers, and that the criminal justice process can be adapted to reduce further trauma. The fact that the abuse is alleged to have spanned more than 20 years underlines the importance of recognising coercive control and the long-term psychological impact on survivors.

The trial will continue at Minshull Street Crown Court, with the prosecution case against the 12 remaining defendants due to begin later this month. The husband's witness statement will form part of the material that the court will consider as the case unfolds. Further hearings are expected to address any remaining legal issues before the jury begins to hear the substantive evidence. The outcome of the trial will determine whether the other men accused in connection with the case are convicted or acquitted.