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| Woman guilty of luring 'vulnerable' girls into prostitution | Woman guilty of luring 'vulnerable' girls into prostitution |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| A woman who used drugs and alcohol to lure "weak and vulnerable" girls into a life of prostitution has been found guilty of running a child sex ring. | A woman who used drugs and alcohol to lure "weak and vulnerable" girls into a life of prostitution has been found guilty of running a child sex ring. |
| Amanda Spencer, from Sheffield, was aged 16 when she began befriending her victims - some as young as 13 - later forcing them to have sex for cash. | Amanda Spencer, from Sheffield, was aged 16 when she began befriending her victims - some as young as 13 - later forcing them to have sex for cash. |
| She used the money to fund her drug and alcohol addictions. | |
| Spencer, now 23, was found guilty at Sheffield Crown Court of 17 counts relating to child prostitution. | |
| She was cleared of seven other charges, including arranging or facilitating child prostitution, intentionally causing or inciting a person to become a prostitute, and one count of trafficking within the UK for sexual exploitation. | |
| The jury will resume deliberations on Friday regarding 14 remaining charges Spencer faces. | |
| 'Felt her wrath' | |
| During a trial lasting more than two months, the jury heard Spencer deliberately targeted vulnerable girls in Sheffield. | |
| Prosecutor Michelle Colborne QC said Spencer gave the girls alcohol and drugs and "when [they were] weak, introduced them to a life of prostitution". | Prosecutor Michelle Colborne QC said Spencer gave the girls alcohol and drugs and "when [they were] weak, introduced them to a life of prostitution". |
| "She hung around the town centre identifying and befriending vulnerable children. | "She hung around the town centre identifying and befriending vulnerable children. |
| "She made them feel loved, she gave them a shoulder to cry on, a friend who purported to understand whatever sadness they were experiencing in their lives and in turn lured them into a life of abuse, which she exploited and profited from." | "She made them feel loved, she gave them a shoulder to cry on, a friend who purported to understand whatever sadness they were experiencing in their lives and in turn lured them into a life of abuse, which she exploited and profited from." |
| Ms Colborne told jurors Spencer groomed the girls for abuse. | Ms Colborne told jurors Spencer groomed the girls for abuse. |
| She said: "She told them how to dress more provocatively, to lie about their age and to close their minds to the reality of the sexual experiences, concentrating instead on the drugs. | She said: "She told them how to dress more provocatively, to lie about their age and to close their minds to the reality of the sexual experiences, concentrating instead on the drugs. |
| "Those who had the temerity to refuse to do as they were instructed felt her wrath, she was violent and they were very frightened of her." | "Those who had the temerity to refuse to do as they were instructed felt her wrath, she was violent and they were very frightened of her." |
| Between 2006 and 2011 Spencer befriended and exploited the girls, forcing them to have sex with men, both at her own flat and at other homes across South Yorkshire. | Between 2006 and 2011 Spencer befriended and exploited the girls, forcing them to have sex with men, both at her own flat and at other homes across South Yorkshire. |
| One girl told the court she was forced into prostitution days after meeting Spencer in 2008. | |
| Judge Michael Murphy QC said the girl had told police: "She [Spencer] used to take me to people's houses and sell me for money. | Judge Michael Murphy QC said the girl had told police: "She [Spencer] used to take me to people's houses and sell me for money. |
| 'Locked in room' | |
| "If I did not do it she would beat me up and if I did she would get money and she would just go and get drugs. She used to do that every day and I used to fall for it because I used to take drugs as well." | "If I did not do it she would beat me up and if I did she would get money and she would just go and get drugs. She used to do that every day and I used to fall for it because I used to take drugs as well." |
| The court heard that on one occasion the girl was locked in a room and forced to have sex with seven men in one night. When she refused Spencer punched her, giving her a black eye. | The court heard that on one occasion the girl was locked in a room and forced to have sex with seven men in one night. When she refused Spencer punched her, giving her a black eye. |
| She estimated she was abused by 16 different men on up to 50 occasions over a period of about two years. | She estimated she was abused by 16 different men on up to 50 occasions over a period of about two years. |
| Spencer denied all the crimes of which she was accused, claiming her victims had either made up their accounts or that she had never met them. | |
| Three men on trial with her were cleared of the charges they faced. | |
| Lee Unwin, 26, was found not guilty of paying for the sexual service of a child; Kareem Ahmed, 29, was cleared of arranging or facilitating travel for the commission of a sexual offence; and Bashdar Hamadamin, 26, was found not guilty of rape. | |
| Another man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has been convicted of three counts of sexual assault. | |