Get you up to speed: Three additional men charged with raping woman allegedly drugged by her husband.
Three men have appeared at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court, denying charges related to the alleged drugging and sexual abuse of a woman by her husband.
Three men pleaded not guilty to various charges at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court, contributing to a growing investigation involving multiple defendants.
Three men have denied multiple charges at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court, with a case management hearing set for June 15 ahead of the trial on September 1.
What we know so far
Three men have appeared in court accused of plotting to rape an unconscious woman who was allegedly drugged and sexually abused by her husband for more than 20 years.
The husband, who is in his 60s and cannot be named, denies 48 charges including rape, conspiracy to rape, and administering a substance with intent to stupefy or overpower. Allegations against him date back to the early 2000s, with accusations that he drugged his wife to facilitate rape or sexual assault.
From 2023 until his arrest last year, he is further alleged to have invited other men to abuse his wife while she was unconscious. On Friday, three of his co-defendants, also unnamed, entered pleas at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court. A man in his 50s pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to rape and other related charges, while another man in his 40s denied rape and conspiracy to rape.
In total, six other co-defendants have previously denied similar offences, with one man from Scotland pleading guilty. Two of the 13 men charged remain to enter pleas. A case management hearing is set for June 15, ahead of a trial scheduled for September 1.
Read in full
Three more men accused of raping woman ‘after she had been drugged by husband’ | News UK
Three more men have appeared in court accused of plotting to rape an unconscious woman who was allegedly drugged and sexually abused by her husband for more than 20 years.
The husband, who is aged in his 60s but cannot be named, denies 48 charges including rape, conspiracy to rape and administering a substance with intent to stupefy or overpower.
He is accused of drugging his wife so he could rape or sexually assault her, with allegations dating back two decades to the early 2000s.
Between 2023 and his arrest last year he is further alleged to have invited other men to abuse his wife while she was unconscious.
On Friday, three of his co-defendants, who also cannot be named, entered pleas at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court to the charges they faced.
Sign up for all of the latest stories
A man in his 50s pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to rape, conspiracy to commit assault by penetration and conspiracy to administer a substance with intent to stupefy or overpower.
A man in his 40s denied rape, conspiracy to rape and conspiracy to commit assault by penetration.
A man in his 50s pleaded not guilty to assault by penetration, sexual assault and conspiracy to commit assault by penetration.
Last month, six other co-defendants also denied similar offences while one man in his 50s from Scotland pleaded guilty to assault by penetration, conspiracy to rape, conspiracy to commit assault by penetration and conspiracy to administer a substance with intent to stupefy or overpower.
Two of the 13 men charged in the investigation have yet to enter pleas.
Another case management hearing will take place on June 15 ahead of a trial scheduled for September 1.