A man who has admitted drugging and raping his wife without her knowledge for more than 20 years has provided a witness statement about “what he says happened”, a jury was told.

The husband, who cannot be named to protect his wife’s right to anonymity, had also been accused of inviting 13 other men to abuse her from 2018 until November 2025.

The man, in his 60s and from the Stockport area of Greater Manchester, had initially denied the charges but pleaded guilty last month to 60 offences, including rape and administering a substance with intent.

A jury was sworn in at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court in early September but the case has since been delayed for legal and practical reasons.

One of the co-defendants – 59-year-old Keith Fotheringham from Dundee, Scotland – has also pleaded guilty to several offences.

Earlier the nine women and three men of the jury, plus two female reserve jurors, were invited into court and provided with an update by Judge Maurice Greene.

They had already been told at a previous hearing that the husband had admitted 60 offences and would no longer be part of the trial as a defendant.

However, Judge Greene said: “What’s been happening is that the husband has now made a statement about what he says happened.

“That statement is a long statement and that has been disclosed to all defence counsel and it contains a lot of detail.”

The judge told jurors the statement contained “lots of pages and lots of documents” and that lawyers in the case were “going through it carefully”, which was ongoing work.

The jury were asked to return on Monday 19 October when the prosecution case against the remaining 12 defendants is due to open.

The other defendants are:

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