A man in his 60s has admitted 60 criminal offences against his wife after being accused of drugging and sexually abusing her over a period spanning more than two decades.
The man, who cannot be named because doing so could identify his wife, entered his latest guilty pleas at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court on Monday.
He had previously admitted 15 offences. He has now pleaded guilty to a further 45, bringing the total number of offences he has admitted to 60.
The offences include multiple counts of rape, assault by penetration and administering a substance with intent.
The man’s wife watched proceedings from the public gallery with members of her family.
During the hearing, the defendant became visibly emotional as he repeatedly said “guilty” while the charges were put to him. At one point, the judge invited him to sit down in the dock.
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Abuse Allegedly Spanned More Than 20 Years
The man’s offending against his wife is said to have taken place over a period dating back to 2004.
The case is being heard alongside allegations involving other men, with the accusations against those defendants covering a period from 2018 to 2025.
Twelve other men are currently on trial and deny the serious sexual offences they are accused of committing against the woman.
The defendants come from Stockport, Manchester and other parts of England and range in age from their 20s to their 70s.
A 13th man previously admitted sexual offences against the woman.
Husband Will Be Sentenced Later
The husband will be sentenced for the offences he has admitted at the conclusion of the wider trial.
The trial involving the other defendants is expected to continue over the coming weeks.
Police and prosecutors have treated the case as a complex investigation involving allegations of prolonged sexual abuse and drug-facilitated offending.
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The woman’s identity remains protected by law, and the husband cannot be named because identifying him could reveal who she is.
The case has drawn comparisons with other major investigations involving allegations of sexual abuse carried out against women while they were unconscious or incapacitated.
However, each defendant in the Manchester case must be considered separately, and the allegations against the 12 men who have pleaded not guilty remain matters for the jury to determine.
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