Ex-football chief admits offences linked to woman's drugging and rape by husband

Published30 October 2026, 16:10 GMT

A former football club chief executive has pleaded guilty to offences relating to the drugging and raping of a woman by her husband and others.

Karl Lindsay, 56, who resigned from non-league Taunton Town Football Club in Somerset before he was charged, has admitted the offences, which happened between 2015 and 2025.

Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court heard Lindsay's offending related to the rape of the woman by her husband and others in the Stockport area of Greater Manchester, and the administration of substances to stupefy her for the purpose of sexual acts.

The woman's husband, who is in his 60s and cannot be named to protect his wife's anonymity, has already admitted 62 offences against his wife, including rape.

The woman at the centre of the case was in court with one of her relatives and watched Lindsay intently as he entered his guilty pleas.

Three other men, Keith Fotheringham, 59, from Dundee, Scotland, Sean Peers, 38, from Stockport, and Graham Brougham, 74, from Northwich, have already admitted sexually abusing her at previous hearings.

The trial of nine other defendants accused of sexual offences against the woman has been scheduled to start on Monday after a series of delays.

The men are all alleged to have committed offences between 2015 and 2025.

The other defendants are:

Philip Wild, 58, from Stockport

Philip Wild, 58, from Stockport

Jordan Wallace, 31, from Manchester

Jordan Wallace, 31, from Manchester

Alan Keelan, 42, from Manchester

Alan Keelan, 42, from Manchester

Jonathan Kirk, 43, from Stockport

Jonathan Kirk, 43, from Stockport

Robert Stewart, 70, from Stockport

Robert Stewart, 70, from Stockport

Mohammed Sabir, 28, of no fixed abode

Mohammed Sabir, 28, of no fixed abode

Richard Townsend, 37, from Rochdale

Richard Townsend, 37, from Rochdale

Daniel Rayner, 42, from Whitstable, Kent

Daniel Rayner, 42, from Whitstable, Kent

David Graves, 59, from Ilkeston, Derbyshire

David Graves, 59, from Ilkeston, Derbyshire

Lindsay was told he would be sentenced at the conclusion of that trial.

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