'I'll die in prison for what I've done,' says man who drugged and raped wife in case likened to Gisele Pelicot

A man who drugged and raped his wife for more than 20 years in a case likened to Gisele Pelicot expects to "die in prison for what he has done", a court has heard.

Prosecutors say the man, who is in his 60s and from Stockport, exposed the woman to a cocktail of potentially "fatal" drugs without her knowledge.

He filmed the abuse, amassing more than a million images, which he shared online and allegedly invited men to the family home to rape and sexually assault his wife, while she was unconscious, from at least 2023.

The husband, who cannot be named to protect the identity of the woman - has admitted 62 offences between 2004 and 2025.

He will give evidence for the prosecution against nine other men on trial at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court, where they deny a variety of sexual offences against her.

"He says he wants to tell the truth," prosecutor Louise Oakley KC told the jury, explaining he wants his wife and their family "to know what happened".

"He is not doing it to get a reduced sentence. He fully expects to die in prison for what he has done."

The jury was shown messages his wife sent to a friend after she was drugged and allegedly attacked by her husband and two other men - Mohammed Sabir, 28, and Robert Stewart, 70 - in the same night in September last year.

She said she had "only just woken up" shortly before 1.30pm feeling "wobbly, woozy and a bit weird" and asked: "What's wrong with me?"

Stewart later sent the husband a message telling him to "delete all images" because of "the guy in France", which Ms Oakley said was a reference to Gisele Pelicot.

"His own comparison of what happened to her and his conduct, you may think, perhaps sums up this whole case from start to finish," she said.

Men continued to contact the husband to ask him to "abuse" his wife even after he was arrested in October last year, the jury was told.

Cocktail of drugs found in hair sample

The court previously heard the only medication the woman took regularly were multi-vitamins and tablets for high blood pressure, cholesterol and heartburn prescribed by her GP.

But an 8cm hair sample was analysed by a French forensic toxicologist, which could represent eight months of drug exposure - assuming hair growth of 1cm a month - but was likely an "underestimate".

It revealed a cocktail of drugs or medications, including morphine, ketamine and cocaine, as well as other sedatives and anti-depressants - none of which she had been prescribed.

Ms Oakley said when one of the sedatives is mixed with alcohol, "the risk of severe sedation increases and could be fatal".

The court heard how the husband researched "date rape drugs" online and crushed up tablets to give to his wife in food and drink - but the medication turned wine cloudy and made her curry taste bitter.

Police also seized pipettes from the bedroom drawer, which had traces of the medication he used to drug her, the jury was told.

The husband has pleaded guilty to all of the charges he faced, including multiple counts of rape and administering substances with intent to stupefy his wife, and will give evidence for the prosecution.

Kitchen firm sales rep David Graves, 60, of Ilkeston, Derbyshire, and mechanic Daniel Rayner, 42, from Whitstable, Kent, deny conspiracy to rape, conspiracy to assault by penetration and conspiracy to administer a substance with intent.

Stewart, of Stockport, denies rape, conspiracy to rape and conspiracy to administer a substance with intent, while Sabir, of Stockport, denies rape and conspiracy to rape.

Taxi driver Philip Wild, 59, of Stockport, has pleaded not guilty to sexual assault, attempted rape, assault by penetration and conspiracy to rape.

Industrial cleaning firm worker Alan Keelan, 42, from Manchester, denies attempted rape and assault by penetration, while building supplies worker Jordan Wallace, 31, from Manchester, denies rape and attempted rape.

Sheet metal worker Richard Townsend, 38, from Greater Manchester, denies assault by penetration; and senior paramedic Jonathan Kirk, 43, of Stockport, denies rape and conspiracy to rape.

Four other men, Graham Brougham, 74, from Northwich, Cheshire; Sean Peers, 38, from Stockport; Keith Fotheringham, 59, from Dundee, and Karl Lindsay, 56, from Taunton, Somerset, have admitted their sexual offending.

The trial continues.

(c) Sky News 2026: 'I'll die in prison for what I've done,' says man who drugged and raped wife in case