Men 'groomed girls at Meadowhall' 15 years ago Published duration 26 February

image copyright Paul Harrop image caption Some of the offences are said to have taken place around Meadowhall shopping centre between 2001 and 2004

Four men sexually abused two teenage girls by grooming them at Meadowhall shopping centre more than 15 years ago, jurors heard.

Azad Raja, Amin Aslam, Faisal Hussain and Yasser Hussain deny rape and indecent assault.

The alleged offences began when the girls were as young as 13 and occurred between 2001 and 2004.

Prosecutor Jayne Beckett said the friends were groomed in and around the Sheffield shopping mall.

She said the "Meadowhall scene was very seedy" at the time and that Mr Raja had sex with one girl in a lift at the complex, by a bridge, and at Mr Aslam's house in Masbrough.

"Any apparent consent wasn't genuine, she was young and vulnerable."

The prosecutor told Sheffield Crown Court the girl was 12 or 13 when she met Mr Aslam and that Mr Raja was in the same group of men and was "nice" to the girl and her friend.

"He bought her drugs and vodka and perfume. She was effectively groomed for a year."

Her family were "distraught" about her relationship with Mr Raja and had "various run-ins with him, but to no effect," said the prosecutor.

The court heard she also had a sexual relationship with Yasser Hussain, who was "older than the others" and attractive with a nice car, and that she had sex with him at a neighbour's house.

Faisal Hussain is accused of indecently assaulting the second girl, who he came across as part of "the Meadowhall scene" and around Rotherham.

The prosecutor told the jury they would hear evidence that the second girl recalled him requesting sexual favours from her and she was forced to perform sexual acts on him.

"Both teenagers were being manipulated by much older men," said Ms Beckett.

The trial continues.

The charges:

The men, between 16 and 21 at the time, deny all charges.

Amin Aslam, 32, of Leatham Avenue in Masbrough: one count of rape, one count of indecent assault

Yasser Hussain, 35, of Norborough Road in Tinsley: two counts of indecent assault, one count of rape

Azad Raja, 35, of Adney Road in Sheffield: three counts of rape, one count of indecent assault

Faisal Hussain, 32, of Lovetot Road in Rotherham: two counts of indecent assault