A husband who drugged his wife so he could have sex with her as she slept has been jailed for 11 years.

The businessman put medication which was prescribed to one of their children into her bedtime tea.

She woke at least once to find him having sex with her against her will at their home in East Devon but had no idea she had been doped with the ADHD drug melatonin.

She only found out when her 48-year-old husband admitted what he had done to a fellow worshipper at the church he attended.

The husband claimed his wife had a sexual fantasy about waking up to find him having sex with her but his story was rejected by a jury at a trial at Exeter Crown Court.

He denied rape, assault by penetration, and administering a noxious substance with intent to commit a sexual offence but was found guilty.

He was jailed for 11 years and banned from any further contact with his wife by Judge Timothy Rose.

He told the defendant: “These offences were pre-planned and executed by the administration of medication. It was an appalling violation which was not mitigated by the fact that the victim was your wife.

“Your conduct was an intentional abuse of trust and you took advantage of her while she was sleeping. I have reached the conclusion that you have no remorse.

“You are self-obsessed and prioritised your own perceived needs above those of others, particularly your wife. There were violent episodes in your marriage as well as these sexual offences.

“You have expressed a lack of personal responsibility for your actions and there is no reason why you could not control yourself. You were fully aware of your own actions.”

Rachel Drake, prosecuting, said the couple had married for about 15 years before the wife learned of his actions four years ago and went to the police.

A toxicology report said the drug melatonin was unlikely to have induced deep sleep but Miss Drake said the husband believed it did and slipped it into his wife’s bedtime tea.

The husband told the jury all sex with his wife was consensual and that she asked him to help fulfil a fantasy about waking up to sex.

Lee Bremridge, defending, said the husband was suffering from poor mental health at the time and has made changes to his life since his arrest. He is now acting as a charity volunteer and support worker.