A shoe salesman is facing years in jail for his involvement in a global network of women being drugged and raped by their partners.

Darren Conway, of Enfield, north London, pleaded guilty to encouraging another man to sexually assault the man’s sleeping wife.

The 52-year-old admitted messaging a man last year asking him to touch his wife sexually and remove her clothes on several occasions.

He pleaded guilty to 11 charges, including nine of encouraging others to sexually assault women on an internet forum while they were unconscious, asleep or stupefied, between 2023 and 2026.

Conway also admitted voyeurism and possession of extreme pornography.

Wearing a grey sweatshirt and tracksuit bottoms the father-of-two showed no emotion as he answered ‘guilty’ to each charge at Wood Green Crown Court.

National Crime Agency (NCA) officers mounted the investigation in the wake of the case of Gisèle Pelicot, 72, who waived her anonymity in France’s biggest ever rape trial.

Her husband Dominique Pelicot was jailed for 20 years by a judge in Avignon in December 2024 after he was convicted of arranging for 72 different men to rape her 92 times while she was unconscious.

Darren Conway is one of eight men arrested in the UK as part of an international investigation

Conway is one of eight men who have been arrested in the UK as part of an international investigation into an internet forum in which members shared graphic videos of the sexual abuse of unconscious women.

NCA officers are working with dozens of countries including France, Germany, Brazil, Spain, the Netherlands and the US to try to identify nearly 300 people linked to the forum.

Members of the group shared images and videos of sedated women being sexually assaulted and raped, ‘sometimes by multiple offenders’, the court heard.

They also exchanged ‘tips’ and advised the best type of sedatives to use.

Alexander Agbamu, prosecuting, said: ‘The indictment reflects the defendant’s involvement in an online forum which connects others who are involved in organised sexual offending and domestic abuse.’

He added: ‘The extent of the offending goes back some years and involves scores of other offenders, and evidence has come in since proceedings began.’

Judge John Dodd ordered reports and remanded Conway in custody ahead of sentence on October 30.

Mr Agbamu said that there may be further charges laid against Conway as the investigation continues.

The prosecutor explained this case follows from a similar one in Manchester.

‘The case had generated many other inquiries across the country, and this is one of them. This is one of the early ones.’

Judge John Dodd said: ‘Mr Conway has pleaded guilty to some unusual serious sexual offences.

Darren Conway answered ‘guilty’ to all of the charges at Wood Green Crown Court (file image)

‘These remain extremely serious offences. I’ve got to have assistance on a number of issues including dangerousness.

‘Please cooperate with the probation officer. I hope both sides are ready for sentence on Friday, October 30.’

The NCA earlier announced it had uncovered a ‘truly international network’ with members ‘identified in dozens of countries spanning every continent’.

Police said today they were continuing to work to identify as many of the victims in the footage on Conway’s devices as they can.

Metropolitan Police Commander Andy Day said: ‘Drug facilitated sexual offending can have lasting and devastating impacts on its victims.

‘Conway’s actions were shocking. By encouraging others to engage in sexual offending against victims who were unconscious, asleep, or otherwise stupefied, he has put women at a serious risk of harm in their own homes – all for his own sexual gratification.

‘Anyone who has reason to believe that they may have been a victim of sexual offending should report to police. All victims will be supported by specialist officers and safeguarding can be put into place for their protection.

‘We also encourage anyone who has reason to believe somebody they know is involved in this offending to come forward.’

Much of Conway’s offending is believed to have taken place in the UK, but police believe it is also possible that some victims are based abroad. 

Tracy Easton, Chief Crown Prosecutor for CPS London South, added: ‘Darren Conway committed vile acts against women in their own homes, a place where they should have been safe.

‘Organised drug-facilitated sexual assault is abhorrent and we are determined to work with policing to bring offenders to justice.

‘I hope this guilty plea gives confidence to anyone who believes they may have been subjected to similar abuse to come forward.’