Members of Rotherham sex grooming ring set for sentencing
Members of a child sex grooming ring in Rotherham who subjected a number of teenage girls to years of rape, violence and prostitution are due to be sentenced today.
It comes after six members of the ring, led by three brothers, were found guilty of a total of 55 offences involving the sexual exploitation of 15 teenage girls.
During the trial a jury heard victims describe how they were targeted in their young teens and subjected to brutal treatment as they were passed around men who raped and beat them.
Who was involved?
Brothers Arshid Hussain, 40, Basharat Hussain, 39 and Bannaras Hussain, 36, led the grooming ring and each of them has been found guilty of offences including rape and indecent assault.
Qurban Ali, 53, the brothers' uncle helped them in their illegal activity and was convicted of conspiracy to rape.
Two women - Karen MacGregor, 58, and Shelley Davies, 40 - were also found guilty of conspiracy to procure prostitutes and false imprisonment following a trial at Sheffield Crown Court earlier this week.
What were members of the sex ring found guilty of?
Arshid Hussain
one count of conspiracy to rape
11 indecent assaults
three rapes
one other serious sexual assault
one count of procuring a girl under 21 to have unlawful sex with another
one count of false imprisonment
two counts of procuring a woman under 21 to become a common prostitute
one count of attempting to procure a girl under 21 to have unlawful sexual intercourse
one count of abducting a 15-year-old girl
one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
Basharat Hussain
one rape
five indecent assaults
one count of procuring a girl under 21 to have unlawful sexual intercourse with another
false imprisonment
three counts of indecency with a child
one count of procuring a woman under 21 to become a common prostitute
two assaults occasioning actual bodily harm
one count of making threats to kill
Bannaras Hussain
two rapes
six indecent assaults
assault occasioning actual bodily harm
procuring a woman to be a prostitute
Qurban Ali
conspiracy to rape
Karen MacGregor
one count of conspiracy to procure a woman under 21 to become a common prostitute
false imprisonment
two counts of conspiracy to rape.
Shelley Davies
conspiracy to procure a woman under 21 to become a common prostitute
false imprisonment
What have authorities said about the case?
Investigating officer Martin Tate said the guilty verdicts were a "crucial milestone" for victims.
And Peter Mann from the Crown Prosecution Service said the ring had caused "unthinkable physical and psychological" trauma before adding: