The men, all from Oldham and Rochdale, groomed the young girls, with one being as a young as 13.
The men, all from Oldham and Rochdale, groomed the young girls, with one being as a young as 13. BBC

The nine men found guilty of sexual grooming charges in Rochdale have been sentenced at Liverpool crown court with one, a 59-year-old who cannot be named, given a 19-year jail term.

Sentences of between four and 12 years were passed on eight of the men for sex crimes including rape, trafficking girls for sex and conspiracy to engage in sexual activity with a child.

Police investigated claims from one of the girls in 2008 but it was not taken any further, allowing the men to continue their campaign of sexual abuse.

Victims ranging from between 13 and 15 were forced to have sex with the defendants in exchange for vodka, cannabis and food.

One victim was subjected to sex with 20 men in a single night, according to police.

A drawn-out and harrowing trial focused on the girls explaining their ordeals, most of which happened above a takeaway restaurant in Rochdale.

One girl, who was 13 at the time, told the court: "He [a 59-year-old man] told me to get on the bed and have sex with him. I said 'No' but he said 'I have just given you vodka so it is part of the deal - I have done something for you so you have to do something for me.

"He pulled his pants down and I said I don't want to do it but he just carried on.

"He was just saying, 'Please, please, we are good friends.' I was crying while he was doing it but he just ignored me. He started saying 'Don't cry, I love you' and all this."

She added: "Afterwards I went downstairs and he said 'Have you been crying?' and I said 'Yes'. He said: 'I love you, when can I make love to you again?' and I said 'Never'."

The girl recalled that the man immediately raped her again before giving her £40 to keep quiet about it.

The court heard that the girls only knew their attackers by nicknames they gave themselves, such as "Master" and "Tiger".