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Thirty people will stand trial facing 78 charges related to the sexual abuse of young girls living in Huddersfield.

The group - 29 men and one woman – face numerous charges including rape, drug offences, sexual assault and child trafficking.

They relate to the sexual exploitation of five girls in the town between 2005 and 2012.

Today 25 defendants appeared at Leeds Crown Court , 18 of whom were on bail and met with angry reactions from a small group of protesters gathered outside the court building.

Five men are in custody and didn't attend but were dealt with in their absence.

Of all the defendants, who are mostly from the Huddersfield and Dewsbury areas, 10 of them cannot be named for legal reasons.

They appeared in groups of three for the lengthy hearing inside courtroom number 12, which Judge Simon Phillips QC presided over.

They spoke only to confirm their personal details and nationalities and did not enter pleas to the charges.

Judge Phillips split the defendants into three sets of trials, the first of which will begin on September 9 next year.

The 10 defendants who will stand trial then are:

Mohammed Akram , aged 41, of Manchester Road in Thornton Lodge. He is charged with rape and two counts of trafficking persons for sexual exploitation.

Iftikar Ali , aged 37, of Holly Road in Thornton Lodge, is charged with attempted rape of girl aged 13-15 and three counts of rape of a girl aged 13-15.

Manzoor Akhtar , 29, of Crosland Moor, three charges of raping a girl aged between 13 and 15 and a charge of trafficking persons for the purposes of sexual exploitation.

Basharat Hussain , 31, of William Street in Crosland Moor, is charged with two counts of rape of a female aged 13-15.

Fehreen Rafiq , 38, of Blackmoorfoot Road in Crosland Moor, she is charged with two counts of facilitating the commission of a child sex offence.

Mohammed Sajjad , aged 31, of Moorbottom Road in Thornton Lodge, is charged with five counts of rape of a female age 13-15, one rape of a girl under 13 and facilitating the commission of a child sex offence.

Banaris Hussain , 35, of Beech Street in Paddock, is charged with one count of rape of a girl aged 13 – 15.

Umar Zaman , 30, of William Street in Crosland Moor, is charged with two counts of rape of a female aged 13-15.

Mohammed Suhail Arif , aged 30, of New Hey Road in Oakes, is charged with rape of girl aged 13-15.

Samuel Fikru , 30, originally from Ethipia, faces two charges of rape.

The defendants who will take part in the second trial, due to begin on January 6, 2020, are:

Mohammed Waqas Anwar , aged 29, of Chapel Terrace in Crosland Moor, is charged with five counts of rape of a female aged 13-15.

Amin Ali Choli , aged 36, of Seaton Street in Bradford, is charged with two counts of rape of a female over 16-years-old.

Mohammed Dogar , aged 35, of Central Avenue in Fartown, is charged with two counts of facilitating the commission of child sex offence.

Mubasher Hussain , aged 35, of Lockwood Road in Lockwood, is charged with rape of a female aged 13-15 and sexual assault.

Shaqeel Hussain , aged 35, of Spen Valley Road in Ravensthorpe, is charged with rape of a female aged 13-15 and two counts of trafficking.

Saqib Raheel , aged 32, of Upper High Street in Cradley Heath, West Midlands, is charged with two counts of rape of a female aged 14-15.

Usman Ali , aged 32, of Park Drive in Huddersfield, is charged with two counts of rape of a female aged 13-15.

Banaras Hussain , aged 37, of Scarborough Road in Shipley, is charged with one count of rape of a female over 16.

Abdul Majid , aged 34, of Lightcliffe Road in Crosland Moor, is charged with two counts of rape of female aged 13-15.

Gull Riaz , aged 42, of Balmoral Avenue in Crosland Moor, is charged with rape of a female aged 13-15.

The third and final trial will then begin on April 20, 2020. The 10 defendants who will appear then cannot be named but they face numerous charges including rape, sexual assault, supplying drugs and trafficking.

Each trial is expected to last between six and eight weeks. Judge Phillips told the defendants that they must attend a further case management hearing ahead of their trials when they are expected to enter pleas to the charges.

He said to them: “We have identified a trial date with a time estimate of six to eight weeks.

“You will all have an obligation to attend when your case is listed for trial.”