ITV News Correspondent Sejal Karia, who has been following the case in which a man is accused of drugging and raping his wife, explains what we have learned about his co-defendants
Words by ITV News Correspondent Sejal Karia, Senior Producer Eleanor Gregory and Senior Producer Louisa Felton
A senior paramedic, a university technician and the former boss of a football club are among 13 men charged alongside a husband accused of conspiring to drug and sexually abuse his unconscious wife.
All 13 can today be named for the first time, after reporting restrictions on identifying the men, who are from across the UK, were lifted ahead of a trial due to start in Manchester in September.
ITV News is not naming the husband at the centre of the case so as not to identify his wife, who is protected by anonymity under British law.
He is in his 60’s and from the Stockport area, Greater Manchester and has been charged with 48 offences which allege he drugged his wife to rape and sexually assault her on his own over more than twenty years since 2004.
The identities of 13 other men, aged between 28 and 73, who face charges relating to the same alleged victim can now be reported for the first time.
Keith Fotheringham.
Keith Fotheringham, 59, from Dundee, has pleaded guilty to all four sexual offences against him, including conspiracy to rape and conspiracy to administer a substance. He is in custody and will be sentenced at a later date.
The other 12 men have pleaded not guilty to the various charges against them and face trial alongside the husband, later this year, in Manchester’s Minshull Street Crown Court.
Jonathan Kirk.
Jonathan Kirk, 43, a senior paramedic, denies charges including rape and conspiracy to rape. He is on bail.
Kirk was pictured with Prince Harry in 2011 during a visit to the Salford Ambulance Station in the wake of the 2011 UK riots.
Karl Lindsay.
Former CEO of Taunton Town Football Club, Karl Lindsay, resigned from his role at the time of his arrest in November 2025.
Lindsay has denied all the charges against him, including conspiracy to rape and conspiracy to administer a substance with intent to stupefy or overpower to allow sexual activity. He is in custody.
Daniel Rayner, 42, of Whitstable, Kent, and David Graves, 59, of Ilkeston, Derbyshire, have denied the same charges. Both are in custody.
Graham Brougham.
Graham Brougham, 73 of Northwich, Cheshire, has pleaded not guilty to charges including rape and conspiracy to rape. He is on bail.
Philip Wild.
Philip Wild, 58, of Stockport, Greater Manchester, has pleaded not guilty to charges including attempted rape, sexual assault and conspiracy to rape. He is in custody.
Mohammed Sabir.
Mohammed Sabir, 28, of Stockport, denies the charges against him including three counts of rape and conspiracy to rape. He is in custody.
Sean Peers.
Sean Peers, 37, of Stockport, has pleaded not guilty to assault by penetration and conspiracy to assault by penetration. He is on bail.
Jordan Wallace.
Jordan Wallace, 31, of Wythenshawe, Manchester, has pleaded not guilty to rape, attempted rape and conspiracy to rape. He is on bail.
Alan Keelan.
Alan Keelan, 42, of Wythenshawe, who used to coach an under-16s football team and is from Greater Manchester denies conspiracy to rape and two counts of rape.
Robert Stewart.
He is on bail and Robert Stewart, 70, of Stockport, also denies the same charges and he is in custody.
Richard Townsend.
Richard Townsend, 37, of Heywood, Greater Manchester, denies assault by penetration and conspiracy to assault by penetration. He is also in custody.
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On Monday, the husband, who cannot be identified, changed some of his pleas after he previously denied all 48 counts he faced on the indictment involving his wife.
He pleaded guilty to five counts of rape, six counts of assault by penetration and three counts of sexual assault on various dates between 2022 and 2025.
He has also admitted to sharing intimate photographs or film of his wife, without her consent, for sexual gratification.
Between 2018 and his arrest in 2025, he is also accused of plotting with other men to sexually assault and rape his wife while she was unconscious and invited them to carry out the attacks alongside him. He has pleaded not guilty to these offences.
He denies 11 counts of rape, two counts of attempted rape, seven counts of assault by penetration, four counts of sexual assault, four counts of conspiracy to rape, three counts of conspiracy to assault by penetration, one count of conspiracy to administer a substance with intent and one count of administering a substance with intent.
All of the men, apart from Keith Fotheringham, are due to stand trial on 1st September.
If you, or someone you know, has been a victim of rape or sexual violence, there is support out there to help:
Rape Crisis (England and Wales) provides specialist information and support to all those affected by rape, sexual assault, sexual harassment and all other forms of sexual violence and abuse in England and Wales. Helpline: 0808 500 2222 (24/7)
The Survivors Trust is the largest umbrella agency for specialist rape and sexual abuse services in the UK. Helpline: 0808 801 0818 | Text: 07860 022956
Survivors UK – Male Rape and Sexual Abuse Support has support for any man, boy or non-binary person who has ever experienced unwanted sexual activity. Visit the website to chat through webchat, or by texting 020 3322 1860
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