LONDON — A man who drugged and raped his wife with strangers he met online was himself living a double life, deceiving both his family and the individuals he recruited to commit the abuse, a court heard.
The investigation began after the victim disclosed to authorities that she had been systematically drugged and raped by men she did not know. As detectives examined the circumstances, they uncovered that the perpetrator had orchestrated the abuse, arranging meetings with strangers who would visit their shared home while the wife was incapacitated.
Evidence emerged revealing that the man had been using online platforms to contact and arrange these assaults. The court heard how the defendant had taken precautions to ensure the attacks occurred in the hours of darkness and that the strangers were not seen or heard by the wife or neighbors, quietly creeping in and out of the property.
The sentencing judge described the case as involving significant betrayal and premeditation, noting the additional harm caused by the use of drugs to facilitate the rapes. The defendant was convicted of rape and related offenses.
The case highlights the hidden nature of online-facilitated domestic violence and the importance of victim disclosure in uncovering such hidden abuse. Police said the investigation revealed a calculated plan to violate the victim over a sustained period.
