British man pleads guilty to decades of drugging and raping his wife

A man in his 60s from northern England has pleaded guilty at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court to 45 charges related to the systematic abuse of his wife. Over a period spanning from November 2004 to October 2025, the man admitted to drugging his spouse to incapacitate her, subsequently subjecting her to 21 counts of rape, 15 counts of assault by penetration, 11 counts of sexual assault, and the distribution of intimate images without consent.

The perpetrator, whose identity remains protected to preserve his wife's anonymity, confessed to these crimes shortly before his trial was scheduled to commence. While he has accepted responsibility for his actions, an additional 12 men, aged between 28 and 74, are currently facing charges for sexually abusing the same victim between 2018 and 2025. All 12 co-defendants have entered not-guilty pleas.

Legal proceedings regarding the remaining defendants are expected to continue at the Manchester court and are estimated to last several months. Authorities have confirmed that the victim is receiving specialized support as the judicial process moves forward to address the extensive history of abuse.