Three men have denied involvement in a plot to rape and sexually assault another man’s wife after she had been drugged by her husband.

A man in his 60s, who is from the Stockport area but cannot be named as it would identify the alleged victim, last month denied 48 offences dating back to 2004.

He is accused of drugging his wife in order to rape and sexually assault her on his own over more than two decades, dating back to the early 2000s.

Between 2023 and his arrest last year, he allegedly invited other men to sexually assault and rape his wife while she was unconscious.

He appeared at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court by video link from Forest Bank prison, facing charges along with 12 other men, aged between 28 and 73, who also cannot be identified for legal reasons.

The husband is charged with 23 counts relating to offences committed on his own – including some multiple incident counts – eight conspiracy offences and 17 attacks allegedly committed with other men.

All are charged with various conspiracy offences, and all but two are alleged to have also committed so-called contact sexual offences.

A man in his 50s, from Somerset, today pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy to rape, conspiracy to assault by penetration and conspiracy to administer a substance with intent to stupefy or overpower to allow sexual activity.

Another man in his 50s, from the Stockport area, denied conspiracy to assault by penetration, sexual assault, and assault by penetration. He is yet to enter pleas to charges of conspiracy to rape and rape.

A man in his 40s, also from the Stockport area, denied conspiracy to rape, conspiracy to assault by penetration, and rape.

A man in his 50s previously pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to rape, conspiracy to assault by penetration, conspiracy to administer a substance, and assault by penetration, and was not required to attend court.

Two of the defendants are yet to enter pleas, while the others all deny the charges.

Judge Maurice Greene remanded eight of the men in custody, while five are on conditional bail ahead of a 12-week trial starting on 1 September this year.