Nine men on trial over abuse of unconscious woman

Summarised from 2 outlets · 3 reports · Updated 3 Nov, 18:45 · Archive

Nine men are on trial accused of sexually assaulting a Stockport woman who was drugged by her husband without her knowledge.

Nine men are on trial at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court accused of sexually assaulting a woman who was regularly drugged and made unconscious by her husband over more than twenty years.

The husband, aged in his 60s from Stockport, has already admitted 62 offences including rape, assault by penetration and administering substances with intent to stupefy. Prosecutors told the court he initially took advantage of occasions when his wife was drunk, but later researched date rape drugs and sleeping tablets online before giving her cocktails of drugs without her knowledge. He filmed and photographed the abuse and shared images online.

The nine defendants on trial, who include a former paramedic and a Manchester football coach, deny various charges. Prosecutors categorise them as 'contact offenders' who went to the couple's home and 'non-contact offenders' who were said to have only been online. The court heard the husband found these men through online communities with a shared sexual interest in unconscious women.

Prosecutor Louise Oakley KC told jurors the woman believed she had not had sex for nine years, but her husband had been abusing her 'completely unaware' throughout. The jury was warned they would view distressing evidence including videos of the abuse. The husband is awaiting sentence and is expected to give evidence as a witness in the trial.

How it is being reported

• Husband who drugged and raped wife for over 20 years found men with sexual interest in unconscious women online, trial of nine defendants toldProsecutors say the defendants and the husband 'led double lives', so they could indulge in their 'barbaric fantasies'. The spouse has admitted multiple offences. Nine men on trial at Minshull Street Crown Court deny the charges they face.Manchester Evening News · 3 Nov, 18:18
• Wife drugged and raped by husband who 'lived double life masked in respectability', jury toldNine other men deny a series of charges they faceManchester Evening News · 2 Nov, 19:02
• Man who drugged and raped wife with strangers 'led double life'Nine men are on trial accused of helping a Stockport man fulfil "barbaric fantasies" against his wife.BBC Manchester · 2 Nov, 17:51

In this story: Stockport · Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court · Louise Oakley KC · David Graves

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem · Corrections log