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Ten men have been charged with the alleged sexual exploitation of teenage girls in Coventry.

The suspected sex trafficking ring allegedly preyed on vulnerable girls in the city, according to West Midlands Police.

The ten suspects, aged from 19-30, were charged yesterday with offences including rape, sexual assault and trafficking, following a police investigation into the alleged exploitation of five girls aged 16-18 at various locations across Coventry between May and September last year.

Some of the girls were in care at the time of the alleged offences, police said.

Brothers Gulfraz Banaris, 20, and 25-year-old Ifaraz Banaris, from Deedmore Road, Wood End, and Izthkhab Banaris, 24, from Eld Road, Coventry, are charged with conspiracy to traffic girls across the city for the purposes of sexual exploitation.

Gulfraz Banaris and Izthkhab Banaris are also both accused of rape.

The three appeared before Coventry magistrates yesterday and were remanded in custody to appear at Coventry Crown Court on November 7.

Brothers Isa Iqbal, 21, and 20-year-old Ismail Iqbal – both of no fixed address and cousins of the Banaris brothers – face trafficking charges and have also been remanded in custody to reappear in court in November.

Ricardo Hinkson, 23, of Telfer Road, Radford, Coventry, was remanded to appear in court this morning charged with conspiracy to traffic within the UK for the purposes of sexual exploitation.

Amir Mahmood, 27, a signwriter from Blackwell Road, Foleshill, and milkman Tasveer Hussain, 30, from Canal Road, Foleshill, Coventry, will join Hinkson at Coventry Magistrates Court charged with the same offence.

Mechanic Saleem Hussain, 30, from Beake Avenue, Coventry, and Khezer Hussain, 25, from Bordesley Green East, Stechford, Birmingham, will also face magistrates charged with sexual assault and rape, respectively, this morning.

The five alleged victims are now in council care or living with relatives under safeguarding arrangements.

They are being supported by specially-trained police officers from the public protection unit and Coventry City Council children’s services.

Chief Inspector Sue Holder of West Midlands Police said: “Protecting young people from harm is a priority for West Midlands Police and the force takes reports of sexual and physical abuse extremely seriously.

“Anyone convicted of sexual exploitation, in whatever form, can expect to be dealt with severely by the courts.”