Wife who thought she was celibate for nine years was 'drugged and raped' by her husband and strangers, trial hears

Two separate UK trials opened on Monday exposing husbands who spent years drugging their wives unconscious and advertising them online to strangers for sex. In Manchester, nine men deny taking part in the rape of a Stockport woman whose husband filmed over one million photographs and videos of the abuse spanning two decades; in Winchester, former Tory councillor Philip Young has already pleaded guilty to drugging his wife Joanne Young over 13 years as four other men face trial.

Manchester prosecutor Louise Oakley KC told jurors the nine defendants knew the victim was unconscious — 'that is why they were there, to use her body'.

The Winchester defendants include men who answered online adverts placed by Philip Young, who told them 'risk is a great thrill' — including the pregnancy risk to his wife.

Connor Sanderson-Doyle, 32, on trial in Winchester, told the court he believed Joanne Young was a willing participant and 'at no point did I have any indication she was drugged'.