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A vulnerable woman was allowed to have sex strangers because her carers believed the encounters would "help her learn from her mistakes".

The woman, 23, who has severe autism and an IQ of 53 was being looked after by private care staff at a facility in Manchester.

Random men were able to visit the woman at her care home between the hours of 10am and 4pm each day, with carers told not to intervene if she had sex with them.

She was also allowed to send sexually explicit photographs and videos to her 'boyfriends' - despite being given 24-hour supervision by care specialists.

The instructions were part of a court-approved trial period this summer, according to court documents obtained by the Times.

(Image: Getty Images)

Her horrified family have accused care home authorities of 'pimping her out' in what they claim was an 'experiment'.

In August, carers reported a number of Asian males who she didn't recognise were calling to her address in order to have sex with her.

It also emerged she had been taken to have sex in a number of public locations,including shisha bars, a taxi and a bowling alley.

The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has a troubling history of sexual exploitation.

Form the age of nine she ran away from home on ten separate occasions and it is believed she been subject to "sexual violations and rapes."

Since her 18th birthday in 2013, her care was guided by the Court of Protection after it was deemed she did not have the mental capacity to make judgments for herself.

Mental health examiners deemed that the woman displayed an "obsessional interest" in men from "different ethnic or cultural backgrounds."

Manchester city council has been in charge of the woman since that time.

Under a court approved care plan she was provided with 24-hour support by a private specialist known as Engage Support, a was to be accompanied by two staff members every time she left her home.

Earlier this year, a psychologist employed by Engage Support stated that allowing her "unsupervised contact with men" was in her best interest.

In June, Judge Jonathan Butler gave Engage Support permission to leave the woman alone during daytime hours and said they were "not expected to intervene physically" if she she engaged in public sex.

Over the next few weeks it is understood that she had sex with at least six different men in her bedroom.

One night in July she left home and had sex with three different men before being brought home by police at 4.30am.

Engage Support threatened to terminate their care contract with Manchester council if restrictions on her freedom were not removed, according to court documents.

In 2015 a court gave her permission to marry a Bangladesh-born restaurant waiter who visited her at home five times a week.

He says he feels "devastated and betrayed" after he discovered details of the court order.

In late August Engage Support "indicated that they would no longer allow men to visit" after concerns were raised about her welfare and sexual behaviour.

The company has withdrawn from the care contract and the woman's support is now being provided by another firm.

Engage Support have been contacted for comment.