A husband accused of drugging and raping his wife over two decades was in contact with men as far away as Texas, a court heard on Tuesday.
Jurors hearing the case against nine men accused of sexual offences against the woman were shown details of 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.
The court heard that, 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 preparing to travel to Hawaii.
Ms Oakley told Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court: “He was communicating with individuals in the UK and abroad.”
In May 2018, the husband allegedly sent an unidentified man a video showing his wife sitting on a sofa with her eyes closed while he sexually assaulted her, jurors heard.
Two months later, another unnamed man allegedly discussed sexually abusing the woman and suggested that the husband “pill her up hard”.
The husband then sent that man 16 images over 17 minutes, although investigators have been unable to recover 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 among nine men accused of offences against the woman.
Taxi driver Philip Wild, 58, a father of three from Stockport, denies four charges.
Richard Townsend, 38, denies a sexual offence against the same woman.
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 abused the woman themselves.
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 allegedly told an unidentified man that he had previously allowed a taxi driver to abuse his wife.
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 husband also spoke to an anonymous man who claimed he could obtain GHB, a drug associated with sexual assaults. The pair allegedly discussed livestreaming the woman as she lost consciousness “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 presentation.
Robert Stewart, 70, a divorced father of two and grandfather who formerly worked as a DJ, denies two rapes and conspiracy to rape.
The court heard that the husband resumed contact with Graves in 2021. They allegedly discussed Graves supplying tablets for use on the woman, with the husband giving his late mother-in-law’s address as the delivery location.
Ms Oakley read messages in which the pair discussed how tablets supplied by Graves could be administered to the victim.
In April 2021, Graves allegedly asked whether the husband had used the tablets. The husband replied: “It’s Easter, mate, been busy. Our perversion isn’t No1 priority.”
Jurors heard that Graves responded: “Sad.”
The men allegedly discussed crushing the tablets and mixing them into food or wine. However, the husband complained that his wife noticed the taste after he put some of the drugs into a curry.
The court also heard that the husband shared a photograph of the woman lying on a bed via the encrypted messaging service Telegram. A man identified as “Contact Y” then asked whether she was asleep or had been drugged.
Kirk arrives at court during the trial, in which he denies a rape charge.
Keelan wears a scarf and hood outside Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court.
Contact Y allegedly offered the husband access to a Telegram group for $50 (£37), payable in Bitcoin.
After the husband posted another photograph of the woman on Telegram, a man claiming to be in the United States replied. He said he was due to travel to Hawaii for work and 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; youth football coach Alan Keelan, 42; building worker and dog walker Jordan Wallace, 31; taxi driver Philip Wild, 58; metal worker Richard Townsend, 38; and self-employed mechanic Daniel Rayner, 42.
All deny the various sexual offences alleged against them.
Keith Fotheringham, 59, one of the men linked to the case, has admitted his involvement.
Sean Peers, 38, pictured outside court on an earlier occasion, has admitted sexual assault.
Graham Brougham, 74, is 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, of Ilkeston, and Rayner, of 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 with the intention of “stupefying or overpowering” the woman between 2015 and 2025.
Wild also faces allegations of sexual assault in August 2023, attempted rape and assault by penetration in February 2025. Sabir denies three rapes—one in February 2025 and two in September 2025.
Wallace, of Stockport, denies rape and attempted rape in May 2025. Keelan, from Manchester, denies two attempted rapes and assault by penetration, all alleged to have occurred in June 2025.
Townsend, of Heywood, Greater Manchester, denies assault by penetration in July 2025, while Kirk denies two rapes alleged to have occurred in August 2025. 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.
