1 hour ago
A British man and 12 other men are due to stand trial in Manchester over allegations that his wife was drugged and abused over two decades. The case spans from 2004 to 2025 and has drawn comparisons with France's Gisele Pelicot trial.
The case, which prosecutors say dates back to 2004, involves 48 charges against the husband. (Representative Image/File)
UPDATED: Sep 2, 2026 18:24 IST
A 60-year-old British man accused of drugging and sexually abusing his wife for more than two decades is set to stand trial in Manchester alongside 12 other men allegedly linked to the abuse. The case, which prosecutors say dates back to 2004, involves 48 charges against the husband.
According to the Crown Prosecution Service, the husband initially denied all the allegations but has since pleaded guilty to 15 charges. These include five counts of rape, six counts of assault, three counts of sexual assault and one count of sharing intimate images of his wife without her consent, reported CNN.
He continues to deny the remaining 33 charges. His identity has not been disclosed to protect his wife's privacy. The 12 co-defendants, aged between 28 and 73, have also denied the allegations against them. Prosecutors allege that some of the men were invited to the couple's home in Stockport, southeast of Manchester, where the offences took place.
The trial began on Tuesday at Minshull Street Crown Court and is scheduled to last 12 weeks. It had been due to begin a day earlier but was delayed because of what the court described as "unforeseen circumstances".
12 MEN ACCUSED ALONGSIDE HUSBAND
Among those facing trial is Jonathan Kirk, 43, a Stockport paramedic who was photographed shaking hands with Prince Harry in 2011 during the royal's visit to emergency workers following riots in Manchester and Salford. He faces charges including rape and conspiracy to rape.
Karl Lindsay, 55, a former football club chief executive, is accused of conspiracy to rape, conspiracy to assault by penetration and conspiracy to administer a substance with intent.
Others facing charges include Mohammed Sabir, 28; Philip Wild, 58; Jordan Wallace, 31; former youth football coach Alan Keelan, 42; Robert Stewart, 70; Sean Peers, 38; Richard Townsend, 37; Daniel Rayner, 42; David Graves, 59; and Graham Brougham, 73.
Their charges range from rape and attempted rape to conspiracy and assault.
SEPARATE GUILTY PLEA
According to prosecutors, a 13th man, 59-year-old Keith Fotheringham from Dundee, Scotland, has separately pleaded guilty to assault, conspiracy to assault, conspiracy to rape and conspiracy to administer a substance with intent.
He remains in custody and will be sentenced at a later date.
The allegations span more than 20 years, with prosecutors saying the first alleged incident occurred in 2004 and the latest in 2025. The defendants are expected to appear before the court as the trial gets underway.
The case has drawn comparisons with the high-profile case of Gisele Pelicot in France, in which Pelicot's then-husband, Dominique Pelicot, was convicted in 2024 of drugging her and arranging for other men to rape her over nearly a decade. All 51 co-defendants were also convicted of offences related to the abuse. Pelicot waived her anonymity and insisted that the trial be held publicly.
- Ends
Published By:
Satyam Singh
Published On:
Sep 2, 2026 18:24 IST
