A jury has been sworn in for the trial of a man accused of drugging and raping his wife for almost 20 years before allegedly inviting other men to join the abuse.
The husband, who cannot be named to protect his wife’s legal right to anonymity, has already admitted 15 charges including rape.
However he denies 33 other counts and will stand trial alongside 12 other men at Minshull Street Crown Court in Manchester.
Prosecutors allege the men sexually abused the victim at her home in the Stockport area of Greater Manchester, while she was drugged and completely unaware of what was happening.
A 14th defendant, 59-year-old Keith Fotheringham from Dundee, Scotland, has pleaded guilty to all four charges he faced including conspiracy to rape, conspiracy to assault by penetration, conspiracy to administer a substance with intent and assault by penetration.
The husband’s alleged offending dates back to 2004 while the other men are accused of joining in the abuse between September 2018 until November 2025 – when the arrests were made.
A jury of nine women and three men, as well as two female reserve jurors, who will sit until the prosecution has finished opening its case, were formally sworn in earlier.