A British man in his 60s has pleaded guilty to drugging and raping his wife over a period spanning more than two decades, in the latest UK case involving drug-facilitated sexual abuse.
The man, who cannot be named to protect his wife’s identity, entered the guilty plea on Monday at a court in northwest England. He had previously admitted to other sexual offences against his wife.
He was scheduled to stand trial alongside 12 other men accused of conspiring to sexually abuse the woman while she was unconscious.
The 12 co-defendants, aged between 28 and 73, deny the allegations. A 13th man previously pleaded guilty to conspiring to drug and rape the victim.
On Monday, the husband admitted to 60 offences dating back to 2004, including administering a substance to his wife with the intention of stupefying or overpowering her.
The other defendants include a paramedic and a former football coach. They are expected to stand trial at the criminal court in Manchester in the coming weeks.
Latest UK Case Involving Drug-Facilitated Sexual Abuse
The case adds to a growing number of UK criminal cases involving drug-facilitated sexual abuse (DFSA), in which perpetrators use drugs or other substances to render victims unconscious or unable to resist sexual abuse.
Global attention on the crime increased following the high-profile case of Dominique Pelicot in France. Pelicot drugged and raped his then-wife, Gisele, for nearly a decade while allowing other men to sexually abuse her.
In another UK case last week, a London man pleaded guilty to encouraging other men in an online group chat to sexually abuse their unconscious partners and share images of the abuse.
Meanwhile, another man is due to receive his sentence in central England later this week after pleading guilty in July to 32 sexual offences against his girlfriend while she was allegedly drugged or asleep.
The Manchester proceedings are expected to continue in the coming weeks.
AFP
