Child sex trial: Jury retires after summing-up

The jury has retired to consider its verdicts in the trial of 11 men accused of being part of a child sexual exploitation ring.

Liverpool Crown Court heard that five girls were groomed for sex and "shared" by the men from Heywood and Rochdale.

The jury of three men and nine women in the nine-week trial has been told that the men plied the girls, some as young as 13, with drink and drugs.

The men, whose ages range from 24 to 59, deny the sex offences.

Kabeer Hassan, 24; Abdul Aziz, 41; Abdul Rauf, 43; Mohammed Sajid, 35; Adil Khan, 42; Abdul Qayyum, 43; Mohammed Amin, 44; Qamar Shahzad, 29; Liaquat Shah, 41; and Hamid Safi, 22; all deny conspiracy to engage in sexual activity with children under the age of 16.

A 59-year-old man, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, denies the same charge.

He also denies two counts of rape, aiding and abetting a rape, one count of sexual assault and an allegation of trafficking within the UK for sexual exploitation.

• Mr Hassan, of Lacrosse Avenue, Oldham, and Mr Shahzad, of Tweedale Street, Rochdale, also deny rape.
• Mr Aziz, of Armstrong Hurst Close, Rochdale, denies two counts of rape and one allegation of trafficking for sexual exploitation.
• Mr Khan, of Oswald Street, and Mr Rauf, of Darley Road, both in Rochdale, have also pleaded not guilty to trafficking for sexual exploitation.
• Mr Sajid, of Jepheys Street, Rochdale, denies trafficking, two counts of rape and one allegation of sexual activity with a child.
• Mr Amin, of Falinge Road, Rochdale, denies sexual assault.
• Mr Shah and Mr Safi, both of Kensington Street, Rochdale, each deny two counts of rape, while Mr Safi denies trafficking.