Man admits encouraging assault on sleeping woman

A man from north London has pleaded guilty to charges of encouraging a man to sexually assault a woman who was asleep.

Darren Conway from Enfield, was charged with nine counts of assisting or encouraging an offence, one count of voyeurism, and one count of possessing an extreme pornographic image.

The 52-year-old was part of an online forum where videos of sexual offending and domestic abuse were shared between offenders across the country.

Conway appeared in the dock at Wood Green Crown Court wearing a grey tracksuit and spoke only to confirm his name and to plead guilty to all counts.

The online group was uncovered by police in October 2025.

Officers subsequently arrested Conway after they identified him as one of the group chat members.

During searches of his personal devices, police found Conway had encouraged other group members to engage in sexual offending, as well as posting images and videos of a sexual nature.

On multiple occasions he told one man to remove a sleeping woman's clothing and sexually assault her.

Officers are continuing to work to identify as many of the victims in the footage on Conway's devices and say while it is believed that much offending took place in the UK, it is also possible that some victims are based overseas.

In a statement, Commander Andy Day of the Metropolitan Police drug facilitated sexual offending can have "lasting and devastating impacts on its victims".

He called Conway's actions "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," added Day.

Following his guilty pleas, chief crown prosecutor for CPS London South, Tracy Easton, said Conway had "committed vile acts against women in their own homes, a place where they should feel safe".

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

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

Conway will be sentenced at the same court on Friday 30 October.

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