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| Aylesbury child sex abuse trial: Six men found guilty | Aylesbury child sex abuse trial: Six men found guilty |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Six men involved in a child sex ring in Buckinghamshire have been found guilty of abusing two schoolgirls on a "massive scale". | Six men involved in a child sex ring in Buckinghamshire have been found guilty of abusing two schoolgirls on a "massive scale". |
| The Old Bailey heard the abuse in Aylesbury went on for years and involved rape and child prostitution. | The Old Bailey heard the abuse in Aylesbury went on for years and involved rape and child prostitution. |
| Eleven defendants faced trial, accused of 47 sexual offences between 2006 and 2012. | Eleven defendants faced trial, accused of 47 sexual offences between 2006 and 2012. |
| Four were cleared of any wrongdoing, while the jury could not reach a verdict on one of the men. | Four were cleared of any wrongdoing, while the jury could not reach a verdict on one of the men. |
| The six who have been convicted will be sentenced in September. | The six who have been convicted will be sentenced in September. |
| Troubled backgrounds | Troubled backgrounds |
| The offences, which all the defendants denied any involvement in, took place in cars, vans, flats and sometimes the girls' homes in Aylesbury, the court heard. | The offences, which all the defendants denied any involvement in, took place in cars, vans, flats and sometimes the girls' homes in Aylesbury, the court heard. |
| The jury deliberated for more than 42 hours before finding six men guilty of a range of offences against the girls, including rape, child prostitution and administering a substance to "stupefy" a girl in order to engage in sexual activity. | The jury deliberated for more than 42 hours before finding six men guilty of a range of offences against the girls, including rape, child prostitution and administering a substance to "stupefy" a girl in order to engage in sexual activity. |
| The court heard evidence from both victims, who came from troubled backgrounds and were befriended by the men who gave them alcohol, DVDs, food and occasionally drugs. | The court heard evidence from both victims, who came from troubled backgrounds and were befriended by the men who gave them alcohol, DVDs, food and occasionally drugs. |
| Charges and verdicts: | Charges and verdicts: |
| When she was 12 or 13, one of the girls - known as A - was passed between 60 Asian men for sex and had been conditioned to think it was normal behaviour, the jury was told. | When she was 12 or 13, one of the girls - known as A - was passed between 60 Asian men for sex and had been conditioned to think it was normal behaviour, the jury was told. |
| Prosecutor Oliver Saxby QC said the victims were "easy prey for a group of men wanting casual sexual gratification that was easy, regular and readily available". | Prosecutor Oliver Saxby QC said the victims were "easy prey for a group of men wanting casual sexual gratification that was easy, regular and readily available". |
| The girls started to believe the men, some of whom were married with children, were their boyfriends. | The girls started to believe the men, some of whom were married with children, were their boyfriends. |
| Mr Saxby said the scale of the abuse was "horrifying". | Mr Saxby said the scale of the abuse was "horrifying". |
| "[Girl] A estimated that she had sex with about 60 men - six zero - almost all Asian," he told the court. | "[Girl] A estimated that she had sex with about 60 men - six zero - almost all Asian," he told the court. |
| Girl A told police she was passed around the group of men. | Girl A told police she was passed around the group of men. |
| "It wasn't particularly me looking for them. It was them looking for me," she said. | "It wasn't particularly me looking for them. It was them looking for me," she said. |
| "It's just that they pass your number around... or you're with one of them and they invited three or four of their friends round and then you have to sleep with them." | "It's just that they pass your number around... or you're with one of them and they invited three or four of their friends round and then you have to sleep with them." |
| 'Horrific' | 'Horrific' |
| The men, some using the services of Hindi, Urdu, Pashto and Punjabi interpreters, gave no reaction as the guilty verdicts were delivered. | The men, some using the services of Hindi, Urdu, Pashto and Punjabi interpreters, gave no reaction as the guilty verdicts were delivered. |
| David Johnston, director for children's services at Buckinghamshire County Council, said: "We are as appalled, as all parents and the community of Buckinghamshire will be, by the despicable acts of cruel abuse committed by those found guilty at the Old Bailey today. | |
| "On behalf of the council, I would also like to apologise to both of them for letting them down during this period in their lives. | "On behalf of the council, I would also like to apologise to both of them for letting them down during this period in their lives. |
| "We know a great deal more about child sexual exploitation than we did back then and I hope that young people who are worried about themselves or someone they know will have the same courage to come forward. We will do everything in our power to help them." | "We know a great deal more about child sexual exploitation than we did back then and I hope that young people who are worried about themselves or someone they know will have the same courage to come forward. We will do everything in our power to help them." |
| Barnardo's chief executive Javed Khan said the case sent out an important message that perpetrators of "this horrific crime" had to pay for their actions. | Barnardo's chief executive Javed Khan said the case sent out an important message that perpetrators of "this horrific crime" had to pay for their actions. |
| "The bravery of the victims giving evidence in this case should be commended," he said. | "The bravery of the victims giving evidence in this case should be commended," he said. |
| "The courage it takes to relive your abuse in a courtroom environment cannot be underestimated." | "The courage it takes to relive your abuse in a courtroom environment cannot be underestimated." |