A man who drugged and raped his wife over two decades was in contact with alleged accomplices as far away as Texas, a court has heard.
The jury hearing the case against nine men accused of sexual offences against the woman was shown messages and videos the husband allegedly shared about abuse at the family home in Stockport, Greater Manchester.
Prosecutor Louise Oakley KC described extensive online contact between the husband—who has admitted 62 offences, including multiple rapes—and a number of men he met through adult websites.
In October 2019, the husband exchanged messages with a man who said he was more than 4,000 miles away in Texas. Two years later, another contact said he was in the United States and travelling to Hawaii, jurors heard.
Ms Oakley told Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court: “He was communicating with individuals in the UK and abroad.”
The court heard that, in May 2018, the husband sent an unidentified man a video showing his wife sitting on a sofa with her eyes closed while he sexually assaulted her.
Two months later, another unnamed man allegedly discussed sexually abusing the woman and suggested they “pill her up hard”.
The husband sent that man 16 images over a 17-minute period, although investigators have not recovered them, Ms Oakley said.
David Graves, 60, of Ilkeston, Derbyshire, denies three charges and allegedly discussed using “relaxants” to make the woman “pass out”.
Jonathan Kirk, who denies two rape charges, is one of nine men accused of offences against the woman
Philip Wild, 58, a Stockport taxi driver and father of three, denies four charges
Richard Townsend, 38, denies a sexual offence against the woman named in the allegations
In September 2018, the husband began communicating with David Graves, 60, one of two defendants accused of sexual offences who are not alleged to have physically assaulted the woman themselves, jurors heard.
Graves, from Ilkeston, Derbyshire, allegedly told the husband he had “some tablets—relaxants” that could “make her pass out”.
During another online exchange in March 2019, the husband described how he had previously allowed a taxi driver to abuse his wife, the court was told.
He said he had been “wanting to share for a while now”, adding: “Closest I ever got to sharing her was a cab driver who played with her while passed out drunk.
“I just smiled at him and he took it as a green light. Wanted a repeat ever since.”
The jury also heard that another anonymous contact claimed he could obtain GHB, a drug associated with sexual assaults, and discussed livestreaming the woman as she became unconscious “to see the effect”.
Mohammed Sabir, 29, the youngest defendant, denies four charges
Jordan Wallace is pictured outside Manchester’s Minshull Street Crown Court
Married father of two Alan Keelan, 42, pictured at a football club awards event
Robert Stewart, 70, a divorced father and grandfather who formerly worked as a DJ, denies two rapes and conspiracy to rape
Contact between the husband and Graves resumed in 2021, when they allegedly discussed Graves supplying tablets for use on the woman. The husband provided the address of his late mother-in-law so the drugs could be posted there.
Ms Oakley read messages in which the two men discussed using tablets supplied by Graves on the victim.
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In April 2021, Graves allegedly asked whether the husband had used them. He replied: “It’s Easter, mate, been busy. Our perversion isn’t No1 priority.”
Graves responded: “Sad,” jurors heard.
The men allegedly discussed crushing the tablets and mixing them into food or wine. However, the husband complained that his wife had noticed an unpleasant taste after he put some of the drugs in a curry.
The court was also told that the husband shared a photograph of the woman lying on a bed via the encrypted messaging service Telegram. A man known as “Contact Y” then asked whether she was asleep or had been drugged.
Kirk pictured arriving at court during the trial, where he denies a rape charge
Keelan, wearing a scarf and hood, outside Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court
Contact Y allegedly offered access to a Telegram group for US$50 (£37), payable in Bitcoin.
After the husband posted another photograph of the woman on Telegram, a man claiming to be in the US replied that he was travelling to Hawaii for work. He suggested that the couple join him to “have some fun”.
Jurors were shown a receipt for £49.94, which the husband allegedly spent on tranquillisers bought online.
The same contact reportedly advised him to use an “eye dropper” to administer the drug. Police later found a pipette in a bedside drawer at the couple’s home, the court heard.
The defendants currently on trial are David Graves, 60, a sales representative; Jonathan Kirk, 43, a senior paramedic; Robert Stewart, 70, a retired DJ; Mohammed Sabir, 29, a recruitment consultant; Alan Keelan, 42, a youth football coach; Jordan Wallace, 31, a building company worker and dog walker; taxi driver Philip Wild, 58; metal worker Richard Townsend, 38; and Daniel Rayner, 42, a self-employed mechanic.
All deny the charges against them.
Keith Fotheringham, 59, is among the men who have admitted involvement in the offences
Sean Peers, 38, pictured outside court at an earlier hearing, has admitted sexual assault
Graham Brougham, 74, the oldest of 14 defendants charged in connection with the attacks
Former Taunton Town Football Club chief executive Karl Lindsay, 56, has admitted charges
Stewart, Wild, Sabir and Kirk, all from Stockport, Graves, from Ilkeston, Derbyshire, and Rayner, from Whitstable, Kent, deny conspiracy to rape between 2015 and 2025.
Graves and Rayner also deny conspiracy to assault by penetration between 2018 and 2025. Stewart, Graves and Rayner deny conspiring to administer a substance intended to stupefy or overpower the woman between 2015 and 2025.
Wild also faces allegations of sexual assault in August 2023, as well as attempted rape and assault by penetration in February 2025. Sabir denies three rapes alleged to have taken place in February 2025 and twice in September 2025.
Wallace, from Stockport, denies rape and attempted rape in May 2025. Keelan, from Manchester, denies two attempted rapes and an assault by penetration, all alleged to have occurred in June 2025.
Townsend, from Heywood, Greater Manchester, denies assault by penetration in July 2025. Kirk denies two rapes alleged in August 2025, while Stewart denies two rapes alleged in September 2025.
Four other men—Karl Lindsay, 56, of Taunton, Somerset; Graham Brougham, 74, of Northwich, Cheshire; Keith Fotheringham, 59, of Dundee; and Sean Peers, 38, of Stockport—have pleaded guilty to various sexual offences at earlier hearings.
The trial is expected to last at least two months and is continuing.