A police constable is among 16 men charged as part of an investigation into allegations of historic child sexual exploitation.

West Yorkshire Police said the charges relate to alleged offences against three teenage girls in Halifax between 2006 and 2009.

The alleged victims were aged between 13 and 16 at the time, the force added.

One of those charged in the investigation, Amjad Ditta, 35, is a police constable based within the police force's protective services operations unit. He is accused of the sexual touching of a girl in 2009 while working in Halifax.

The Protective Services Operations command is responsible for investigations into complex and serious crimes.

West Yorkshire PC Amjad Ditta, also known as Amjad Hussain, 35, has been charged with sexual touching

Ditta has been suspended from duty and is set to appear at Bradford Magistrates' Court on January 6, 2020 alongside 15 other men

He has been suspended from duty and is set to appear at Bradford Magistrates' Court on January 6 2020 alongside the other 15 men, a spokesman added.

The force said he was a serving police officer at the time of an alleged offence in 2009.

He was made a 'positive action coordinator' and appealed in promotional activities which saw him call for the police to more accurately reflect the community it served.

Those charged, who are all from Halifax, are:

Ditta, who is charged with sexual touching.

Vaqaas Abbas, 30, is charged with three counts of rape and three of supplying a class C drug

Nadeem Adalat, 34, faces four charges of rape and four of supply of a class C drug.

Sajid Adalat, 43, is charged with rape.

Vaseem Adalat, 33, charged with two counts of rape, trafficking and supply of a class C drug.

One of those charged in the investigation, Amjad Ditta, 35, is a police constable based within West Yorkshire Police's Protective Services Operations, it said

The alleged offences are said to have taken place in Halifax, West Yorkshire

Christopher Eastwood, 45, charged with two counts of rape and two counts of supply of a class C drug.

Metab Islam, 46, charged with six counts of rape, six of supply of a class C drug, two of sexual assault and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.

Mohammed Rizwan Iqbal, 34, is charged with rape.

Ishtiaq Latif, 32, is charged with sexual activity with a child.

Asad Mahmood, 33, is charged with rape and trafficking.

Arfan Mir, 36, is charged with six counts of rape, supply of a class C drug, supply of a class A drug and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.

Younis Mohammed, 34, is charged with rape and causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent.

Nadeem Nassir, 39, is charged with rape, supply of a class C drug and making threats to kill.

Shahzad Nawaz, 40, is charged with rape, supply of a class C drug and making threats to kill.

Shazad Nazir, 44, charged with two counts of rape and supply of a class C drug.

Sohail Zafar, 36, charged with rape and supplying a class C drug.