A man in Stockport, near Manchester, has entered a guilty plea to charges of drugging and raping his wife across a period exceeding twenty years, according to reports from the UK’s Metro. The defendant, described as being in his sixties, allegedly invited thirteen other men to sexually assault his wife between 2018 and 2025. These co-accused individuals, ranging in age from 28 to 73, face separate charges related to their participation in the crimes.
The severity of the case has drawn immediate parallels to the Dominique Pelicot trial in France, prompting French publication Charlie Hebdo to label the British proceedings as “Pelicot 2.0.” The incidents occurred in a town with a population of approximately 100,000. Reports indicate the husband broke down in tears upon entering his guilty plea.
Further compounding the controversy, media outlet People Magazine has highlighted a similar case in Austria involving a 39-year-old woman who died following alleged sexual abuse by her husband. The 51-year-old suspect in Wels, a city of roughly 65,000 residents, is currently under investigation for drugging and raping his wife and inviting others to participate. He has claimed the fatal incident was an accident during consensual sex.
In other developments, a ProPublica investigation reveals that Umar Kremlev, a Russian oligarch and head of the International Boxing Association (IBA), covered significant expenses for Donald Trump Jr.’s wedding in the Bahamas. Kremlev reportedly paid hundreds of thousands of dollars, including costs for renting a private island for the reception and accommodating guests, with funds routed through an IBA-affiliated entity in Dubai.
Additionally, Variety reports that rapper Macklemore was removed from Ed Sheeran’s tour after he expressed support for Palestine, stating his wish for the people of Gaza and the West Bank to know they have not been forgotten. Meanwhile, Deadline notes that an advertisement for sports betting company Novig featuring actress Sydney Sweeney has sparked outrage among female athletes for its suggestive nature.
The Austrian case linked here adds another layer of horror. We need stricter laws protecting vulnerable people in marital relationships immediately.
Wait, did the article just pivot from rape trials to boxing politics and Macklemore? That was a jarring narrative shift from such heavy subject matter.
How does this happen in a quiet town like Stockport? The sheer scale of betrayal here is chilling and disturbing.
This is absolutely horrific. Twenty years of abuse is unimaginable. I hope the survivors receive full justice and support.