Many of the 15 girls who were abused by a gang in Huddersfield were from "isolated" backgrounds, with one suffering from a mild learning disability and another being vulnerable as a result of her mother's alcohol and drug addictions.

Judge Geoffrey Marson QC told how the girls were "made to feel special" by the flattery of the group, including a Bradford man, and fell into their trap as a result of their "youth and naivety".

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One of these victims said she came into contact with the group after being bullied at school and said she did "sort of like the attention" they were giving her.

But the same girl said that her relationship with some of the defendants became "one of those things that you couldn't get out of".

Another victim who had a similar experience told the court how the outings with the predatory men initially made her feel grown up, adding: "But we weren't really, we were young, but when you are young you do think it is cool to be doing them things, going against what your mum says and stuff like that."

During his sentencing remarks, Judge Marson told how the girls would be taken to isolated places, where defendants could threaten and beat them if they failed to comply with their demands for sex.

At house parties, victims would be plied with alcohol and drugs, before being sexually abused "one by one" by the men, sometimes with no contraception or with a plastic bag being used as an alternative.

Describing the experience as "disgusting and degrading", the judge told how girls would wake up "naked or partially clothed", unaware of what had happened to them.

They were abused in venues such as cars, car parks, houses, a snooker centre and a takeaway, often with other defendants and fellow victims watching on, the court heard.

One girl said: "It was just like a continual lifestyle, I didn't know how to get out of it. You feel manipulated and scared in a way that if you don't meet these guys then something is going to happen.

"You'd see people with knives or fighting so you do feel scared and you do feel intimidated, but on the other side you feel like you want to be a rebel because you're that age.

"They're quite manipulative and when you're in that situation you're so pressured, you feel so stupid and dirty and horrible."

As the Telegraph & Argus reported yesterday, a total of 20 men have been convicted of serious sexual offences against teenage girls in Huddersfield in three trials at Leeds Crown Court.

Of these, 16 have been jailed and four will be sentenced next month.

Each was referred to by a nickname. Those convicted are: Trial One:

- Amere Singh Dhaliwal, 35, of Holly Road, Huddersfield - jailed for life, minimum of 18 years (nickname - "Pretos")

- Irfan Ahmed, 34, of Yews Hill Road, Huddersfield - jailed for eight years ("Finny")

- Zahid Hassan, 29, of Bland Street, Huddersfield - jailed for 18 years ("Little Manny")

- Mohammed Kammer, 34, of West View, Huddersfield - jailed for 16 years ("Kammy")

- Mohammed Rizwan Aslam, 31, of Huddersfield Road, Dewsbury - jailed for 15 years ("Big Riz") -

- Abdul Rehman, 31, of Darnley Drive, Sheffield - jailed for 16 years ("Beastie") -

Raj Singh Barsran, 34, of Caldercliffe Road, Huddersfield - jailed for 17 years ("Raj") -

Nahman Mohammed, 32, of West View, Huddersfield - jailed for 15 years ("Dracula")

Trial Two:

- Mansoor Akhtar, 27, of Blackmoorfoot Road, Huddersfield - jailed for eight years ("Boy")

- Wiqas Mahmud, 38, of Banks Crescent, Huddersfield - jailed for 15 years ("Vic")

- Nasarat Hussain, 30, of Upper Mount Street, Huddersfield - jailed for 17 years ("Nurse")

- Sajid Hussain, 33, of Grasmere Road, Huddersfield - jailed for 17 years ("Fish")

- Mohammed Irfraz, 30, of North Road, Huddersfield - jailed for six years ("Faj")

- Faisal Nadeem, 32, of Carr Green Lane, Huddersfield - jailed for 12 years ("Chiller")

- Mohammed Azeem, 33, of Wrose Road, Bradford - jailed for 18 years ("Mosabella")

- Manzoor Hassan, 38, of Bland Street, Huddersfield - jailed for five years ("Big Manny")

Trial Three: - Niaz Ahmed, 54, of Woodthorpe Terrace, Huddersfield - to be sentenced on November 1 ("Shaq")

- Mohammed Imran Ibrar, 34, of Manchester Road, Huddersfield - to be sentenced on November 1 ("Bully")

- Asif Bashir, 33, of Thornton Lodge Road, Huddersfield - to be sentenced on November 1 ("Junior")

- Mohammed Akram, 33, of Springdale Street, Huddersfield - to be sentenced