Husband, 12 Others Accused in Rape Conspiracy

British jurors are set to hear what prosecutors call a rare, large-scale case of alleged drug-enabled sexual abuse inside a marriage. A man in his 60s from Stockport goes on trial Wednesday in Manchester, accused of drugging his wife and repeatedly raping and assaulting her over roughly two decades, from 2004 to 2025. His name has been withheld to protect her identity. Since his arrest last year, he's pleaded guilty to five counts of rape, three counts of sexual assault, six counts of assault by penetration, and one count of sharing intimate photos or video, per the New York Times. The other 33 charges will be decided by the jury.

Twelve other men, ages 28 to 73 and from across Britain, are also on trial, accused of taking part in a conspiracy to abuse the woman between 2023 and 2025. Nine of the 12 are specifically accused of rape or sexual assault. Others allegedly helped administer the drugs that rendered the victim unconscious, per CBS News. A 13th man, 59-year-old Keith Fotheringham of Scotland, earlier pleaded guilty to assault by penetration, conspiracy to assault and to rape, and conspiracy to administer a substance with intent, and is awaiting sentencing, per CNN. The trial, which has drawn parallels to that of Frenchman Dominique Pelicot and his 50 accomplices, is expected to last three months.