Ten men jailed over North Yorkshire girl's sex exploitation Published duration 3 October 2013

image caption The men were sentenced at York Crown Court

Ten men have been jailed after a 13-year-old girl from North Yorkshire was sexually exploited by 30 different attackers.

Some of the men were married with children and individually preyed on the girl, committing offences including having sex with her.

Police said the men made contact with her over the internet.

The offences came to light after the girl's mother found explicit messages and pictures on her mobile phone.

Det Ch Supt Simon Mason said the offenders included a teacher, a travelling salesman, a shop worker and an unemployed mechanic.

He said: "They came from all walks of life, all types of professions, including one man that was located in Europe.

"There were a variety of marital relationships and the fact that they had access to their own children and other children."

The ten men were jailed for a variety of sexual offences including sexual grooming of a child and possessing indecent photographs.

Another man was given a community sentence and a further man is awaiting sentencing.

'Sexualised chat'

An additional 18 men were investigated and found to have had contact with the girl but no court action was taken.

Mr Mason said the pattern of behaviour started off as "simple contact" between the men and victim.

"There's then sexualised chat, there's then exchanging of images progressing to contact by meeting in different localities."

The detective said: "In some cases the child would actually disclose her age to some people who would stop contact at that point, other people would be more turned on and excited by that."

The case, which was first investigated by police last April, can now be reported because court proceedings have finished.

The men prosecuted are: