Three young men have been jailed for a total of more than 15 years for helping a 17-year-old join the so-called Islamic State - after a trial which heard one of the men exchanged affectionate texts with the teenager, calling each other "cutie", "honey" and "babe".

Kristen Brekke, Adeel Ulhaq and Forhad Rahman were convicted at the Old Bailey of conspiring to help young jihadi Aseel Muthana get to Syria.

Muthana was just 17 when he left his home in Cardiff in February last year to the join the militant group and has not returned since.

He was following in the footsteps of his older brother, Nasser Muthana, whom the court heard he "idolised".

Three men with a 'highly radical' ideology

Prosecutor Annabel Darlow QC had told jurors that all three defendants shared a "highly-radical ideology", and had played different roles in their mission to help Muthana achieve his goal of reaching Syria.

The court heard that all but Brekke had expressed a desire to follow suit.

Aseel Muthana travelled to Syria to join his brother in ISIS in 2014.

While Rahman, 21, was key in funding the trip, Ulhaq, 21, had contacts in Syria and had given practical advice, while Brekke, 20, helped purchase kit and let the teenager use his computer.

Rahman and Ulhaq were part of a network of friends online who were committed to jihad.

Brekke, a Muslim convert, did not know his co-defendants before the trial, but had been good friends with Muthana since working with him at an ice cream parlour in Cardiff.

'Radicalise me babe'

The court was shown a home-made video filmed by Brekke and Muthana, in which they posed with an imitation gun on Asda Hill above Cardiff.

In it, Muthana could be heard saying: "It's called Asda Hill because it's right next Asda, mashalla!"

Skype chat still dated 22/02/14 of Aseel Muthana (left) recovered from Rahman's (right) phone. Credit: South Wales Police

He later added: "If you are watching this, I'm probably dead or I'm probably a legend or something."

Muthana sent the video to Rahman after they became friendly online - and the pair later met up in London.

They exchanged affectionate text messages, including one from Rahman which was said to read: "Radicalise me babe x"

Rahman later introduced his young friend to Ulhaq, who gave help online and used his contacts in Syria to smooth Muthana's entry, but never met him in person.

Convicted of preparing acts of terrorism

Brekke of Pentre Street in Grangetown, Cardiff; Rahman of Cranhams Lane in Chesterton, Cirencester, Gloucestershire; and Ulhaq of Westbourne Road, Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire were found guilty of preparing for acts of terrorism.

Ulhaq was further convicted of terror funding.

Brekke was sentenced to four and a half years in jail, while Rahman received a five-year sentence. Ulhaq was jailed for six years.