British man confesses to being at centre of global network sexually assaulting drugged women
Darren Conway encouraged other men to record themselves abusing sleeping and sedated victims, who then shared the footage in a chatroom of fellow predators
A British man has confessed to being at the centre of an international network sharing footage of unconscious women being sexually abused.
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Darren Conway encouraged other men to record themselves abusing sleeping and sedated victims, who then shared the footage in a chatroom of fellow predators.
The 52-year-old was one of eight men arrested in the UK who had exchanged such videos.
Appearing at Wood Green Crown Court on Friday, he pleaded guilty to nine counts of assisting or encouraging an offence, one count of voyeurism, and one count of possessing an extreme pornographic image.
Conway also confessed to messaging another group member in 2025 and requested the individual to touch the man's wife sexually and remove her clothes on several occasions.
Read more: Vulnerable children exposed to sexual abuse on 'industrial scale' at hundreds of illegal care homes
On at least 10 other occasions between 2023 and 2026, Conway asked for naked images of sleeping women, according to court documents.
The forum encouraging sex offending and domestic abuse was first discovered in 2025, and was investigated by several police forces, concluding in Conway's arrest.
The Metropolitan Police said messages found on his devices "showed Conway encouraging other group chat members to engage in drug-facilitated sexual offending, alongside images and videos of a sexual nature".
Alexander Agbamu, prosecuting, told jurors: "The indictment reflects the defendant's involvement in an online forum which connects others who are involved in organised sexual offending and domestic abuse."
Judge John Dodd KC said he will be sentenced on 30 October.
Met Police Commander Andy Day said Conway's actions were "shocking".
He said: "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 it 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."