The case against each man accused of abusing woman drugged by husband

This past week prosecutors have been outlining their case against a group of nine men - including a paramedic, children's football coach and taxi driver - who allegedly raped or abused a woman after she had been drugged by her husband.

The husband, who cannot be named to protect his wife's legal right to anonymity, had already pleaded guilty to 62 offences against her committed at the home they shared in the Stockport area of Greater Manchester.

Four other men have also admitted sexual offences against her, but the remaining defendants deny all charges and are on trial at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court.

Louise Oakley KC, lead counsel for the prosecution, has told the jury that both the husband and the other men were leading "double lives" while secretly fulfilling their "barbaric fantasies".

The husband's own abuse against the woman, in her sixties, is believed to have begun in 2004 before he began inviting strangers he met on online chatrooms, swinging websites and messaging apps to join him from about 2023.

Here the BBC summarises the allegations against each man standing trial.

At 70, Robert Stewart, from Stockport, is the oldest man who remains on trial.

The retiree has denied conspiracy to rape, conspiracy to administer a substance with intent and two counts of rape.

Oakley told the jury he is believed to have been among the first defendants who made contact with the husband after they began chatting on the classified adverts website Craigslist in 2015.

Oakley said the pair met at Stewart's home in Stockport at some point before 2016 and discussed "date-rape drugs", and Stewart gave him some strong painkillers.

The jury heard that in the early hours of 21 September 2025 - a decade after they began chatting - Stewart is alleged to have twice raped the wife at her home.

Hours later, the jury heard, Stewart appeared to become fearful and messaged the husband about having had "a bad feeling about it all day".

"Remember what happened to the guy in France, delete me from your phone and life," he said.

Oakley told the jury the "guy in France" was a reference to the husband of Gisele Pelicot, who was convicted of raping her.

David Graves, from Ilkeston in Derbyshire was recently retired from his job as a former kitchen sales rep when he was arrested.

The 59-year-old has denied one count of conspiracy to rape, one of conspiracy to administer a substance with intent and one of conspiracy to assault by penetration.

Oakley told the jury Graves is an alleged "non-contact offender" because he did not physically attend the victim's home.

However between 2018 and 2025 he had discussions with the husband online about how best to render her unconscious, the prosecution claims.

The court was told in 2021 he sent tablets to the husband in the post.

The jury heard messages between the pair apparently squabbling about the fact the tablets made her food and drink - specifically curry and wine - "taste bad".

Oakley said Graves would regularly ask for videos and images of her being abused which were supplied, according to the prosecution, in exchange for drugs to render her unconscious.

Philip Wild, 59, from Cheadle was working as a taxi driver at the time of his arrest.

He has denied conspiracy to rape, attempted rape, assault by penetration and sexual assault.

Oakley told the jury Wild connected with the husband on the swinging website fabswingers.com.

She said on 21 August 2023, the husband told Wild that his wife was "out of it" and invited him to attend their house.

In video footage recovered by police, Wild began to touch the victim as she slept but was allegedly interrupted when she "stirred" and he left.

On 9 February 2025, Wild returned to the address and allegedly attempted to rape the victim while she was unconscious.

Daniel Rayner, 42, is from Whitstable in Kent and was working as a self-employed mechanic when he was arrested.

He denies conspiracy to rape, conspiracy to administer a substance with intent and conspiracy to assault by penetration.

Like Graves, he is an alleged non-contact offender because he did not physically attend the victim's address.

Oakley said the pair met in a channel on the messaging service Telegram, which the prosecution claims was dedicated to sharing images of unconscious women being raped and assaulted.

The jury heard the husband began sharing images of his wife being raped or assaulted with Rayner, who would reply with compliments including "legend" and "so naughty".

Oakley said Rayner discussed drugging women with the husband, with messages including: "I'd love to give you some of my special serum to see her totally out of it for a while."

On one date in 2024, the husband told Rayner his wife had been drinking alcohol and had taken sleeping medication.

His response, in a message read to the jury, was: "Oh [expletive], that's awesome...

"How long do you think till she's totally gone?"

Mohammed Sabir, 28, from Stockport, is the youngest defendant on trial and was working as a recruitment consultant when he was arrested.

He denies one count of conspiracy to rape and three counts of rape.

The jury heard Sabir connected with the husband on fabswingers.com and was invited to come and "have some fun" with his wife.

He attended the house in the early hours of 9 February 2025.

Oakley said footage was recovered showing Sabir in the bedroom where he began to, according to the prosecution, rape the victim while she appeared unconscious.

The jury heard at "no stage" did Sabir try to interact with her before touching her.

At one stage, she "stirred slightly" causing Sabir to "panic" and go downstairs.

However, he returned on 21 September 2025 and allegedly raped her twice.

Jordan Wallace, 31, from Wythenshawe, worked at a building supplies firm in Trafford when he was arrested.

He denies rape and attempted rape.

Oakley said in the early hours of 4 May 2025, the husband had posted on fabswingers.com saying he was "bored", his wife was "wasted" and did anyone "have any ideas".

Wallace responded to the post and the pair began messaging.

Oakley said the husband sent him a video to prove she was "passed out drunk in bed".

Wallace asked: "What if she wakes up?", to which the husband replied: "She won't."

The jury heard Wallace's attendance was filmed by the husband.

While in the bedroom, Wallace allegedly raped her but according to the husband began to "get rough" and she appeared to stir.

The husband became angry and forced Wallace to leave.

A short time later Wallace sent a message apologising and asking for a copy of the video the husband had recorded.

Alan Keelan, from Wythenshawe, worked at an industrial cleaning company and coached a children's football team when he was arrested.

The 42-year-old denies two counts of attempted rape and one of assault by penetration.

Keelan responded to a message on fabswingers.com on 29 June 2025 and arrived at the victim's address in the early hours.

She told the jury the husband had "expressly told him that [his wife] was asleep upstairs, drunk and passed out."

Oakley said videos recovered by the prosecution showed Keelan, who was wearing women's underwear, attempting to rape and then sexually assaulting the victim while she was seemingly unconscious and audibly snoring.

Richard Townsend, 37, from Rochdale, was a sheet metal worker at the time of his arrest.

He denies one count of assault by penetration.

Oakley told the court Townsend responded to a message on fabswingers.com on 20 July 2025 after the husband had sent out what she called "his usual message".

The jury heard he told Townsend his wife was "out of it" and he could "do whatever he wanted to her".

Townsend arrived shortly before 03:00 and was shown up to the bedroom.

Oakley described how Townsend began to sexually assault her while being filmed by the husband, but the victim "stirred", so both men agreed to stop and he left.

Jonathan Kirk, from Stockport, was a senior paramedic for the North West Ambulance Service when he was arrested at work in Stockport Ambulance Station.

The 43-year-old denies conspiracy to rape and two counts of rape.

Oakley told the jury that Kirk had been in contact with the husband on fabswingers.com for several months.

Unlike some of his co-defendants, the jury heard, he did not immediately agree to attend the victim's address.

Oakley told the jury Kirk invited the husband to his own home so he could be shown pictures of the wife "passed out" and being abused.

She said that the two men engaged in oral sex with each other at the address and remained in contact.

On 17 August 2025, Kirk messaged the husband to ask if his wife was "out of it" and whether he could go round to the house.

The husband confirmed she was, and arrived in a taxi the early hours to find the victim "unconscious and snoring", according to the prosecution.

Kirk allegedly raped the woman while her husband filmed.

On Thursday the jury were told the husband has not only pleaded guilty, he also offered to give evidence "against those he offended with".

Oakley said: "He says he wants to tell the truth. He wants his wife and his family to know the truth, to know what happened.

"He is not doing it to get a reduced sentence. He fully expects to die in prison for what he has done.

"He accepts that what he did to (his wife) was down to him, that he was the one in control.

"Without him, none of it would have happened."

Contact offenders Keith Fotheringham, 59, from Dundee in Scotland; Sean Peers, 38, from Stockport; Graham Brougham, 74, from Northwich in Cheshire, and non-contact offender Karl Lindsay, 55, from Taunton in Somerset, have pleaded guilty to a number of offences.

The trial continues.

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