UK man accused of drugging wife, raping her along with 13 others for over 20 years

The man, who is in his 60s, has been charged alongside 13 other men, aged between 28 and 73, with drugging his wife and raping her for over 20 years.

In Short

• Main defendant admits to rape, sexual assault, image-sharing offences
• Prosecutors allege he drugged and abused his wife over many years
• 13 co-defendants charged with conspiracy and sexual offences

A man accused of drugging his wife to rape her along with other men has admitted a string of sexual offences in the United Kingdom. The main defendant is accused of drugging and sexually assaulting his wife over more than two decades and conspiring with other men to abuse her.

The identity of the man, who is in his 60s and from the UK's Greater Manchester, cannot be revealed in order to protect his wife’s anonymity. However, the identities of 13 men charged alongside him have now been made public after a court lifted reporting restrictions in the case.

The man has pleaded guilty to 15 offences, including five counts of rape, three counts of sexual assault, six counts of assault by penetration and one count of sharing intimate images without consent, according to a report in The Guardian. He denies a further 33 charges.

Prosecutors allege that the man repeatedly drugged his wife and sexually assaulted her between 2004 and his arrest last year. They further claim that between 2018 and 2025, he invited other men to sexually assault and rape his wife while she was unconscious.

The 13 co-defendants, aged between 28 and 73, face charges including conspiracy to rape and conspiracy to assault by penetration. Ten of them are also accused of participating directly in sexual offences against the woman, while others allegedly encouraged the abuse online.

Among the accused is 59-year-old technician Keith Fotheringham from Dundee, who has pleaded guilty to assault by penetration, conspiracy to assault by penetration, conspiracy to rape and conspiracy to administer a substance with intent. He has been remanded in custody and will be sentenced at a later date.

The other defendants include a senior paramedic, a football coach, a taxi driver, a recruiter, a former football club chief executive and several other professionals. All have denied the charges against them.

Jonathan Kirk, 43, a senior paramedic from Stockport, who had previously met Prince Harry during the royal's visit to emergency workers in Manchester following the 2011 riots, has denied charges of conspiracy to rape, conspiracy to assault by penetration and rape.

Among the co-accused, 58-year-old taxi driver Philip Wild from Stockport has denied five charges, including conspiracy to rape, conspiracy to assault by penetration, sexual assault, attempted rape and assault by penetration.

Sean Peers, 37, of Stockport, has denied charges of assault by penetration and conspiracy to assault by penetration, while Jordan Wallace, 31, a dog walker from Manchester, has pleaded not guilty to charges of rape, attempted rape and conspiracy to rape.

Alan Keelan, 42, who coached at a junior football club in Manchester until his arrest, has denied one charge of conspiracy to rape and two counts of rape. Robert Stewart, 70, a DJ from Stockport, has also pleaded not guilty to one count of conspiracy to rape and two counts of rape.

Recruiter Mohammed Sabir, 28, has denied charges of conspiracy to rape, conspiracy to assault by penetration and three counts of rape.

Graham Brougham, 73, from Cheshire, who previously performed in a 1970s tribute band and is a member of a walking football team, has pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to rape, conspiracy to assault by penetration and one count of rape.

Richard Townsend, 37, a metal worker from Heywood in Greater Manchester, has denied charges of assault by penetration and conspiracy to assault by penetration.

Meanwhile, Karl Lindsay, 55, from Taunton; David Graves, 59, from Ilkeston in Derbyshire; and Daniel Rayner, 42, from Whitstable in Kent, have all denied three alleged "non-contact" offences: conspiracy to assault by penetration, conspiracy to rape and conspiracy to administer a substance with intent. Lindsay resigned as chief executive of Taunton Town FC following his arrest.

Five of the defendants have been granted bail, while the remainder remain in custody. All of the accused, except Fotheringham, are due to stand trial at Manchester's Minshull Street Crown Court in September.

- Ends