A TOTAL of 29 people have appeared in court facing more than 170 charges relating to the sexual exploitation of 18 children.

The 27 men and two women appeared before a district judge at Huddersfield Magistrates Court charged with offences including rape, trafficking, sexual activity with a child, child neglect, child abduction, supplying drugs and making of indecent images of children.

Naveeda Habib arrives at Huddersfield Magistrates Court where she and another woman face child sex exploitation charges Credit: PA:Press Association

Shahnaz Akhtar Malik is among 29 people facing similar charges against 18 children Credit: PA:Press Association

The defendants were greeted by a handful of protesters outside the court building, where more than 20 police were on duty.

The allegations are non-recent sexual offences, dating back to between 2004 and 2011, and relate to 18 women, who were children at the time.

The youngest child involved was 11 years old.

Raj Singh Barsran arrives at Huddersfield Magistrates Court where he appeared in relation to the sexual exploitation of children Credit: PA:Press Association

Hamzha Ali Saleem leaves Huddersfield Magistrates Court after facing the charges Credit: PA:Press Association

Nasarat Hussain leaves Kirklee's Magistrates Court in Huddersfield, West Yorks Credit: SWNS:South West News Service

The defendants, who are mainly from Huddersfield but also include men from Dudley, Sheffield, Bradford, Manchester, and Dewsbury, appeared in groups before District Judge Michael Fanning during a lengthy court sitting on Wednesday.

He transferred all the cases to the crown court. He told the defendants they will all appear again at Leeds Crown Court on May 11, at 9.30am.

Who is facing charges of child sexual exploitation? Amere Singh Dhaliwal, 34, of Huddersfield is charged with 54 offences. He is charged with 21 counts of rape, 14 counts of trafficking, as well as inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, sexual assault, sexual touching, possession of indecent images of a child, racially aggravated assault and inciting a child into prostitution.

Raj Singh Barsran, 33, of Huddersfield. He is charged with sexual touching and rape.

Abdul Rehman, 29, of Sheffield. He is charged with rape, trafficking, supplying drugs, supply of a controlled substance with intent to engage in sexual activity and sexual touching.

Nasarat Hussain, 28, of Huddersfield. He is charged with three counts of rape, attempted rape and inciting a female to engage in sexual activity.

Irfan Ahmed, 32, of Huddersfield. He is charged with six counts of trafficking, sexual assault, making indecent images of a child and inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

Zubair Ahmed, 30, of Huddersfield. He is charged with rape and possession of extreme pornography. Mohammed Riswan Aslam, 29, of Dewsbury. He is charged with two counts of rape.

Mohammed Kammer, 32, of Huddersfield. He is charged with two counts of rape. Mohammad Nahman, 31, of Huddersfield. He is charged with trafficking, sexual assault, and two counts of rape.

Hamzha Ali Saleem, 37, of Old Trafford, Greater Manchester. He is charged with three counts of trafficking.

Zahid Hassan, 28, of Huddersfield. He is charged with eight counts of rape, five counts of trafficking, racially aggravated assault, supplying drugs, inciting a child into sexual activity, child abduction and attempted rape.

Mohammad Azeem, 31, of Bradford. He is charged with three counts of rape.

Sajid Hussain, 32, of Huddersfield. He is charged with three counts of rape, facilitating the commission of sexual activity on a child and inciting a child into sexual activity.

Mansoor Akhtar, 25, of Huddersfield. He is charged with rape, attempted rape and two counts of trafficking.

Mohammed Asaf Akram, 31, of Huddersfield. He is charged with seven counts of rape, three counts of trafficking, child abduction, supplying drugs, sexual assault and making threats to kill.

Zulwarnain Dogar, 29, of Huddersfield. He is charged with sexual touching and trafficking.

Manzoor Hassan, 37, of Huddersfield. He is charged with supply of a noxious substance with intent to injure, annoy or aggrieve a female, supply of Class A drugs and inciting a child into prostitution.

Mohammad Ifraz, 28, of Huddersfield. He is charged with trafficking a female within the UK with a view to her sexual exploitation, rape, false imprisonment, child abduction, taking indecent images of a child and inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

Wiqas Mahmud, 36, of Huddersfield. He is charged with three counts of rape.

Faisal Nadeem, 30, of Huddersfield. He is charged with supplying drugs, rape and possession of extreme pornography.

Niaz Ahmed, 53, of Slaithwaite, Huddersfield. He is charged with inciting a child into sexual activity and sexual assault.

Asif Bashir, 32, of Huddersfield. He is charged with four counts of rape and attempted rape.

Mohammad Imran Ibrar, 32, of Huddersfield. He is charged with trafficking, facilitating the commission of sexual activity on a child, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, supplying drugs.

Aleem Javaid, 27, of Huddersfield. He is charged with rape and supplying drugs.

Mohammed Saqib Raheel, 30, of Dudley. He is charged with trafficking and child abduction.

Usman Khalid, 29, of Huddersfield. He is charged with sexual assault, child abduction and sexual touching.

Everton La Bastide, 50, of Huddersfield. He is charged with two counts of sexual assault.

Shahnaz Akhtar Malik, 55, of Huddersfield. She is charged with one count of child neglect.

Naveeda Habib, 38, of Huddersfield. She is charged with one count of child neglect.

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