A group of 12 Asian men have appeared in court today accused of 45 sex abuse offences on eight children over five years.

The dozen suspects were all arrested as part of Operation Stovewood - a police investigation into sexual abuse launched after the Rotherham grooming scandal.

The majority of the defendants arrived and left Sheffield Magistrates' Court with their faces covered with masks, scarves or hoods amid protests outside.

Salah Ahmed El-Hakam, 38, and Nabeel Kurshid, 34, are confronted by protesters before they appeared in court accused of sex offences today

A group of 12 Asian men including Tanweer Ali, 36, left, and Abid Saddiq, 36, right, have appeared before magistrates today accused of 45 child sex abuse offences.

Nabeel Kurshid, 34, arrives at Sheffield Magistrates Court with his face covered today

Sharaz Hussain, 33, left, and Iqlak Yousaf, 33, right, were in the dock together with ten other men

Amjal Rafiq, 38, Nabeel Kurshid, 34, Iqlak Yousaf, 33, Mohammed Imran Ali Akhtar, 36, Tanweer Ali, 36, Aftab Hussain, 38, Abid Saddiq, 36, Sharaz Hussain, 33, Salah Ahmed El-Hakam, 38, Mohammed Ashan, 33, Masaeud Malik, 33, and Waseem Khaliq, 33, appeared in the dock together.

Charges include rape, aiding or abetting rape, indecent assault, sexual touching, supply of controlled drugs and false imprisonment.

The charges relate to the sexual abuse of eight girls under the age of 16 over a five-year period from 1998 to 2003.

Nine of the men, from Rotherham, appeared before Sheffield District Judge Naomi Redhouse and were granted bail.

Mohammed Ashan, 33, Masaeud Malik, 33 and Waseem Khaliq, 33, appeared via video link and were remanded in custody.

All 12 men, from Rotherham, are to appear at Sheffield Crown Court, South Yorkshire on Friday, December 1.

Aftab Hussain, 38, arrives at Sheffield Magistrates Court - he was one of the few men not to cover his face

Abid Saddiq, 36, used a hat and scarf to cover his face and refused to answer questions as he arrived for his first court appearance

Ali Akhtar, 36, ran towards the court this morning while Salah Ahmed El-Hakam, 38, kept his head down and a hood pulled up to his eyes

Amjal Rafiq, 38 (blue coat) and Aftab Hussain, 38 (far right) leave Sheffield Magistrates Court

Nabeel Kurshid, 34, leaves Sheffield Magistrates Court in a car with his hood up