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A gang of men who embarked on a "campaign of rape and other sexual abuse" against vulnerable teenage girls in Huddersfield has been been given lengthy jail sentences, it can now be reported.

A series of trials, which have so far resulted in 20 men being convicted and jailed, could not be reported because of a blanket reporting ban imposed a year ago.

The ban was lifted by the Recorder of Leeds, Judge Guy Kearl QC, on Friday.

Three trials at Leeds Crown Court this year have heard how more than a dozen vulnerable teenage girls were groomed and raped in the West Yorkshire town by a number of men.

The group's ringleader was jailed for life and told he must serve a minimum of 18 years in prison by a judge who told him: "Your treatment of these girls was inhuman."

The abuse of the vulnerable, isolated and underage girls - the youngest of whom was 11 or 12 - was described by a judge as 'top of the scale', LeedsLive reports .

A total of 20 men, ranging in age from 27 to 54, were convicted as part of Operation Tendersea during three trials at Leeds Crown Court throughout 2018 making it the worst scandal to ever hit Huddersfield.

They were found guilty of child sex offences including rape, inciting child prostitution and abduction of a child.

A court order had been in place temporarily banning any reporting of the trials until today.

The abuse of the 15 schoolgirls - some of whom were in care and some of whom had mild learning disabilities - took place in the Huddersfield area from 2004 to 2011.

The full list of 20 defendants, 121 convictions and their sentences: