Man admits sexually assaulting woman in long-running abuse case
Constantvpn.com – A 38-year-old man has pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a woman who prosecutors say was drugged and abused by her husband over a period of more than two decades.
Sean Peers, from Stockport, admitted one count of assault by penetration at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court. The offence took place on 15 September 2024, when the woman was unconscious.
The case concerns allegations that the woman’s husband, whose identity is protected to preserve her legal anonymity, repeatedly drugged and raped her without her knowledge. He is also accused of arranging for 13 other men to abuse her at the family home in the Stockport area of Greater Manchester.
Peers had been expected to face trial, but entered his guilty plea before proceedings against the remaining defendants began. He has been released on conditional bail and will be sentenced once the wider trial has concluded.
Husband admits dozens of offences
The woman’s husband has already pleaded guilty to 60 offences committed against her. He has since admitted an additional rape charge and one charge of sexual assault connected to incidents last summer.
Although he is no longer a defendant in the trial involving the other men, he remains in custody. His sentence is also due to be decided after that case reaches its conclusion.
Another man, Keith Fotheringham, 59, of Dundee, has previously pleaded guilty to a range of offences connected with the same investigation.
Eleven other men deny allegations that they abused the woman between 2018 and November 2025. Their trial is scheduled to proceed at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court.
Jury told of newly disclosed statement
A jury was sworn in during early September, but legal and practical issues have delayed the opening of the prosecution case. The panel consists of nine women and three men, with two female reserve jurors.
Jurors were told on Tuesday that the husband had supplied a witness statement after entering his guilty pleas. Judge Maurice Greene said lawyers for the defendants had been given the material and were still reviewing it.
“That statement is a long statement and that has been disclosed to all defence counsel and it contains a lot of detail.”
Judge Greene added that the disclosure included extensive supporting material.
“Lots of pages and lots of documents” were being considered carefully by lawyers in the case.
The jury was directed to return on Monday 19 October, when the prosecution is expected to open its case against the 11 remaining defendants.
Defendants due to face trial
The men who deny the allegations are Philip Wild, 58, from Stockport; Jordan Wallace, 31, from Manchester; Alan Keelan, 42, from Manchester; Jonathan Kirk, 43, from Stockport; and Robert Stewart, 70, from Stockport.
Also due to stand trial are Mohammed Sabir, 28, of no fixed abode; Graham Brougham, 74, from Northwich in Cheshire; Richard Townsend, 37, from Rochdale; Karl Lindsay, 55, from Taunton, Somerset; Daniel Rayner, 42, from Whitstable, Kent; and David Graves, 59, from Ilkeston, Derbyshire.
All defendants who have not entered guilty pleas are entitled to a fair trial. The prosecution must prove the allegations against them beyond reasonable doubt.
Why anonymity applies
The woman at the centre of the case cannot be identified. In cases involving alleged sexual offences, complainants have lifelong legal anonymity, intended to protect privacy and reduce the risk of further distress or unwanted identification.
The restriction also explains why the husband cannot be named: identifying him could reveal the identity of his wife. Reporting on the proceedings must therefore avoid details that could lead members of the public to identify her.
The case has drawn attention because of the alleged duration of the abuse, the number of offences admitted by the husband, and the allegation that other men were invited to the family home. The forthcoming trial will examine the evidence relating to the defendants who dispute their involvement.
Peers’ guilty plea resolves the charge against him, but sentencing has been postponed so the court can deal with the connected cases in an orderly way. The outcome for the remaining defendants will depend on the evidence presented during the trial and the jury’s verdicts.
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