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A jury has retired to deliberate in a trial about the alleged sexual exploitation of children in Huddersfield.

Three schoolgirls were allegedly abused in the Huddersfield area between around 2005 and 2008.

The nine male and three female jurors began deliberations this morning (Thursday) after a month-long trial at Leeds Crown Court.

Eight men are facing 14 charges including rape and attempted rape, while a woman faces a charge of arranging or facilitating the commission of a child sex offence.

The court was told the girls were lured in with friendship, cigarettes, alcohol and drugs and sexually abused in isolated areas such as cars and the defendants' homes.

Opening the trial last month, prosecutor Richard Wright QC said the men saw the girls as 'commodities' 'to be used and abused at will'.

Banaris Hussain, Umar Zaman, Mohammed Arif, Samuel Fikru and five other defendants, who cannot be named for legal reasons, deny all charges.

Hussain, 36, of Beech Street in Paddock, denies rape.

Zaman, 31, of William Street in Crosland Moor, denies two counts of rape. He is being tried in his absence.

Arif, 32, of New Hey Road in Oakes, denies rape.

Fikru, 31, whose address cannot be reported for legal reasons, denies two counts of rape.

A 38-year-old man denies attempted rape.

A 30-year-old man denies rape.

A 32-year-old man denies rape.

A 39-year-old woman denies arranging or facilitating the commission of a child sex offence.

Another 32-year-old man denies five counts of rape.