A man accused of plotting to drug a woman raped and sexually assaulted by her husband for more than 20 years encouraged him to film the abuse live, jurors have heard.
David Graves, 60, is one of nine men on trial at Manchester's Minshull Street Crown Court accused of various offences against the woman. Her husband, a man in his 60s from Stockport, has pleaded guilty to multiple offences, including rape and administering substances with intent to stupefy his wife so that other men could engage in sexual activity with her.
Nine men are in the dock accused of sexual offences relating to the woman. Prosecutors allege the husband invited a number of men to their home to sexually abuse her while she was unconscious after she had been drugged.
Messages read to jury
On the seventh day of the trial on Tuesday (November 10), jurors were read messages they were told the husband exchanged with various individuals - some unknown - from the UK and abroad. Police recovered messages between the husband and Mr Graves from as early as 2018, the court heard.
In October Mr Graves asked the husband to take a picture of his wife while she was getting ready, the jury heard. "I want to see how she is dressed... I have some tablets mate... relaxants," the court heard he said. Mr Graves, it was said, later asked the husband: "[Wife] around? What about her underwear, you was going to get me some."
The husband, jurors were told, asked about the tablets, to which Mr Graves replied: "Got some coming." He later described them as 'relaxants', it was said, adding: "Make you drowsy and pass out, not sure name but will work well."
Details of alleged exchanges
In a later conversation, the husband was said to have asked for pills, saying: "Get them posted today, I need them." Mr Graves is later said to have wrote: "I like pic earlier, **** in her hair." The husband, the court heard replied: "Yes love degrading [wife] and humiliating her."
Prosecutor Louise Oakley KC confirmed with Detective Sergeant Richard Bolt that Mr Graves was said have been asking for pictures and underwear, whilst the defendant was asking for tablets from Mr Graves.
In a further conversation, Mr Graves is said to have asked: "When was last abuse?" The husband, jurors were told, replied: "Dont keep a diary lol." Mr Graves is said to have replied: "Understood."
Jurors heard that in another exchange, in which the husband sent explicit images of his wife to Mr Graves, he is said to have replied: "Nice... love it... she no idea." The court heard the husband replied: "Nope."
Further alleged messages
In a later conversation with an unknown individual about 'sharing his wife', the court heard the husband said "Been wanting to share her for a while. Closest I got was a taxi driver, he had to help me carry her into the house, saw he was cupping her boob, I just smiled at him and he took it as a green light, took her boob out and hand in her knickers. Wanted a repeat ever since."
In one exchange in 2020, jurors heard Mr Graves said: "Cam her live." The court heard the husband replied: "You know Skype is too noisy." The following day, the court heard Mr Graves asked the husband: "All good you?" The husband said: "Good." Mr Graves, the court heard, asked: "And the s**t?" The husband, jurors were told, said: "Working."
Mr Graves, the court heard, said: "As always. You need get something new on her." The husband was said to have replied: "I want GHB or something soon."
Mr Graves, jurors heard, said: "Need do something to her." The husband, it was said, replied: "Yes. Thought I would have been able to find someone to help me by now." The court heard Mr Graves suggested: "Get her pi**ed more." The husband, jurors were told, said: "Booze is unreliable." Mr Graves, it was said, replied said: "Better than nothing at all like you getting."
In 2021, Mr Graves was said to have messaged: "Did you use tabs?" Jurors heard the husband said: "Tried tabs but they tasted bitter. She thought something wrong with the curry. Crushed them in. Had to convince her the plate must have had cleaning stuff on it or something. Very disappointing."
The court heard the husband sent Mr Graves images of his wife on holiday, to which he replied: "Fat s*** [wife's name] belly like a whale lol, she dieting now?"
In further messages during the Covid lockdown, Mr Graves, jurors heard, said: "Lockdown not done much for [the wife]." The husband, it was said, replied 'no', before sending an image of his wife to Mr Graves, who responded: "Look how she used be."
The husband, the court heard, said: "Too much booze." Jurors were told Mr Graves later said: "Embarrassing for you... she's letting you down... payback time." The husband, it was said, later added: "Looking forward to someone else having her." Mr Graves is said to have replied: "I know that not easy atm tho with lockdown [sic]... but can still degrade and abuse her."
Alleged drug deliveries and other defendants
Jurors previously heard Mr Graves is accused of posting drugs to the husband's home to be used on his wife. They had numerous arguments after the drugs were not delivered, the court has heard.
In one exchange, Mr Graves is said to have replied: "Ffs, says its been delivered, its a brown envelope." In March 2021, Mr Graves is said to have asked: "Used tabs?" The husband, it was said, replied: "Not yet." Mr Graves, the court heard, said: "So whats plan." They then discussed how best to get the drugs allegedly sent by Mr Graves into the food or drinks that the wife would ingest, but the husband said there was a 'bitter' taste, the court heard.
Mr Graves, it was said: "Wouldn't if sprinkled in, with gravy etc." "What," the court heard the husband replied. "In dinner," jurors heard Mr Graves said.
The court was also read messages between the husband and Karl Lindsay, 56, who pleaded guilty before the trial to a number of offences including conspiracy to rape and conspiracy to administer a substance with intent. In a three-way online conversation in 2019 with an unknown individual, Lindsay is said to have written: "I would love to do her." The other person replied: "Me u both Karl."
Lindsay, former chief executive of non-league football club Taunton Town, jurors heard, said: "Get in line." After the husband sent them images of his abuse, Lindsay is said to have replied: "Wow. I can't believe she sleeps through it. Incredible vid the last one. I need to get to u. I could help put her deeper asleep and abused proper hmmm."
David Graves, 59, of Milton Avenue, Derbyshire, denies one count of conspiracy to rape; one count of conspiracy to commit assault by penetration; and one count of conspiracy to administer a substance with intent. Robert Stewart, 70, of Sandpiper Drive, Stockport, denies one count of conspiracy to rape; and two counts of rape. Philip Wild, 58, of St Davids Road, Cheadle, denies one count of conspiracy to rape; one count of conspiracy to commit assault by penetration; one count of sexual assault; one count of attempted rape; and one count of assault by penetration.
Daniel Rayner, 42, of Sherwood Drive, Whitstable, denies one count of conspiracy to rape; one count of conspiracy to commit assault by penetration; and one count of conspiracy to administer a substance with intent. Mohammed Sabir, 28, of no fixed address, denies one count of conspiracy to rape; one count of conspiracy to commit assault by penetration and three counts of rape. Jordan Wallace, 31, of Hindsford Close, Wythenshawe, denies one count of conspiracy to rape; one count of rape; and one count of attempted rape.
Alan Keelan, 42, of Foscarn Drive, Wythenshawe, denies one count of conspiracy to rape; two counts of attempted rape; and one count of assault by penetration. Richard Townsend, 37, of Woodland Street, Heywood, denies one count of conspiracy to assault by penetration; and one count of assault by penetration. Jonathan Kirk, 43, of Telford Close, Macclesfield, denies one count of conspiracy to rape; one count of conspiracy to commit assault by penetration; and one count of rape.
Four other men pleaded guilty at earlier hearings to various offences linked to the case, the jury has been told. They are Keith Fotheringham, 59, of Cleghorn Street, Dundee; Karl Lindsay, 56, of Wordsworth Drive, Taunton; Sean Peers, 38, formerly of Sandwich Road in Eccles, now of Stockport; and Graham Brougham, 74, of Birtwistle Road, Northwich, Cheshire.
