A British man in his 60s has pleaded guilty to 60 offences involving his wife, including drugging and sexually assaulting her over a period spanning more than two decades.
The man, whose identity cannot be disclosed to protect the identity of his wife, entered the guilty pleas at a court in Manchester, northwest England, on Monday.
The offences date back to 2004 and include administering a substance to his wife with the intention of stupefying or overpowering her.
He had previously pleaded guilty to other sexual offences against his wife.
The man was initially due to stand trial alongside 12 other men accused of conspiring to sexually abuse the woman while she was unconscious.
The other defendants deny the allegations and are expected to stand trial at Manchester Crown Court in the coming weeks.
A 13th man connected to the case has already pleaded guilty to conspiring to drug and rape the woman.
The defendants awaiting trial are aged between 28 and 73 and include a paramedic and a former football coach.
The case is among a growing number of prosecutions involving drug-facilitated sexual abuse, in which victims are allegedly incapacitated through drugs or other substances before being sexually assaulted.
The issue has received increased international attention following the conviction in France of Dominique Pelicot, who was found guilty of drugging his then-wife, Gisèle Pelicot, and facilitating her rape by other men over several years.
In Britain, a London man also pleaded guilty last week to encouraging other men in an online group chat to sexually abuse their unconscious partners and exchange images of the abuse.
Another man is due to be sentenced later this week in central England after pleading guilty in July to 32 sexual offences against his girlfriend while she was allegedly drugged or asleep.
The Manchester proceedings are expected to continue with the remaining defendants, who deny the charges and remain legally presumed innocent unless convicted.
