Daniel Rayner, 42, is accused of offering a husband who drugged and raped his wife for more than 20 years a 'special serum' to render her unconscious, a trial at Manchester's Minshull Street Crown Court has heard. Rayner is one of nine men on trial accused of sexual 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.
The Allegations
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. The Manchester Evening News and other media organisations are not naming the man in order to protect his victim's anonymity. The nine men on trial deny the charges they face.
Seven of the defendants have been described as 'contact offenders', who jurors heard visited the couple's home expecting her to be 'wasted' and 'out of it'. It is alleged the 'contact offenders' are taxi driver Philip Wild, 59; recruitment agency worker Mohammed Sabir, 28; building supplies employee Jordan Wallace, 31; industrial cleaning firm worker Alan Keelan, 42; retiree Robert Stewart, 70; sheet metal worker Richard Townsend, 38; and senior paramedic Jonathan Kirk, 43.
The Crown alleges 'non-contact' offenders, who allegedly 'hid behind a screen' as they conspired to administer substances to the wife, are kitchen firm sales rep David Graves, 60; and self-employed mechanic Daniel Rayner, 42. Four other men, Keith Fotheringham, Karl Lindsay, Sean Peers, and Graham Brougham, pleaded guilty at earlier hearings to various offences linked to the case.
Online Exchange
On the ninth day of the trial on Thursday (November 12), prosecutor Louise Oakley KC continued to outline the sequence of events in the case with Detective Sergeant Richard Bolt. The court heard that in an exchange online between the husband and Mr Rayner in 2024, Mr Rayner said: "Hi mate. How's it going? I've just got back on here. Hope you still having fun with your sexy wife?" The husband, jurors were told, said: "When I get the chance." Mr Rayner, the court heard, replied: "Good man. I'd love to give you some of my special serum to see her totally out of it for a while."
The court heard he then asked for explicit pictures and videos of the wife. The husband, it was said, messaged: "What serum? Remind me where you are from." Mr Rayner, the court was told, replied: "Kent. You showed me loads of pics and vids of your wife, some when you were on holiday." In response to images sent by the husband, Mr Rayner is said to have replied: "Oh f*** yes mate they're incredible, love the tight ones. Does she wear tights often? Looks amazing passed out like that."
In response to another image of the wife taken by the husband while he sexually assaulted her - conducting an 'eye check' by lifting her eyelid - Mr Rayner is said to have replied: "Epic mate, have you ever f***** her in the *** whilst she is out of it or isn't that your thing?" The husband, the court heard, said: "I have she wont let me when awake." Mr Rayner, jurors were told, said: "Ha ha brilliant." The court heard he later said: "Took her a*** virginity without her knowing haha." The husband was said to have replied: "Yes." Mr Rayner, it was said, replied: "Legend."
The court heard that during a later conversation between Mr Rayner and the husband, Mr Rayner said he wanted to perform a sex act on the wife. The court heard the husband said: "You could." Jurors were told Mr Rayner replied: "Really how." The husband, it was said, messaged: "You here her drugged." "Mmm perfect would you let me c** inside her or have to use protection," Mr Rayner is said to have replied. "How long is she out for before she starts to stir. We could have a lot of fun with her." The husband said: "Inside her. Depends on what drugs you can get." Mr Rayner, the court heard, said: "Mm fantastic, any limitations to what I can do to her or does anything go."
"Mines like ghb [sic] so she would be out of it for at least an hour on a small dose but wouldn't remember it anyway even if she did wake up and I was inside her [laughing emoji]." The husband asked if Mr Rayner could 'get gbh', to which he replied 'yes', jurors heard. "It's a shame you're so far away," the court heard the husband said. "Always willing to drive for some fun," jurors were told Mr Rayner said.
Purchases and Guilty Pleas
The court heard that in October 2022, Mr Rayner bought a 'sleeping liquid' packaged as 'hair serum' from a website selling 'sexual wellness products' and sleep-related aids. Items available at the online store, in Chinese and English text, were said to have included 'amnesiac properties so no memory during sleeping process and no side effects'. The following year, jurors were told, Mr Rayner went on to buy more bottles of the 'hair serum', also referred to as 'hair tonic'.
Jurors also heard that in September 2024, Graham Brougham, 70, went to the husband and wife's home. He is alleged to have raped her and sexually assaulted her while the husband filmed. That same night Sean Peers, 38, attended the property and abused the woman, the court heard. The husband later shared imagery of the abuse by Brougham with Mr Rayner, the court heard, who said: "Oh f***. That's so hot. That's got me h***. Is that you or some other lucky b****." The husband, jurors were told, said: "It's not me." The court heard that later in the conversation, Mr Rayner said: "Oh wow. So when can I come over and play if your pimping her out. [sic]" The husband said: "Long way from Kent." Mr Rayner, jurors were told, said: "Well worth the travel if I get to f*** her like that. So I guessing she had no idea he had stripped and f***** her." The husband said: "None." Mr Rayner, the court heard, replied: "F****** amazing mate. What did you give her. I've always used ghb." Brougham and Peers have pleaded guilty to various offences related to the case.
Investigation and Charges
The court previously heard the husband was arrested in October 2025 after undercover journalists in Germany infiltrated a chat group on Telegram for people interested in sex with someone asleep or unconscious. Authorities were alerted and an investigation was launched, it was said. The husband, jurors have been told, was identified as one of the group users who had shared imagery of sexual abuse of his wife. A phone was seized from his home, the court heard, which was found to have a million photographs and videos said to have catalogued the abuse by the husband and other men. Prosecutors compared the phone to a 'confession booth', containing the husband's 'darkest secrets'.
The trial has been told he initially took advantage of his wife - asleep or unconscious - through alcohol and took videos and images he shared online. His internet browsing history between 2014 and 2025 revealed extensive searches for medication and drugs, the Crown says. From 2023 onwards, prosecutors say the husband began inviting other men to the couple's home, where it is alleged he and others sexually abused her while she was unconscious. The husband will be sentenced at a later date. All nine defendants deny the allegations.
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. The trial continues.
