Who were the Rochdale child grooming sex abuse victims, how many girls were involved and what happened to them?
IT was a case that shocked the nation - 47 girls abused in a sickening child sex ring.
Here's everything you need to know about the victims and what took place in Rochdale...
Who were the Rochdale child sex abuse victims?
None of the victims can be named as unless they waive their lifelong anonymity automatically granted to victims of sexual abuse.
In total, police identified and interviewed 47 young girls who were potential victims of the gang in 2012.
The Times first revealed the issue of Asian sex gangs targeting girls after an investigation in Rotherham.
It led to an inquiry which found that at least 1,400 children had been exploited in that town.
A report by the Rochdale Borough Safeguarding Children Board painted a picture of girls as young as 10 being targeted for sexual abuse.
The girls were mainly white British and were targeted by the sex gang, who were predominately British Pakistani.
What happened to the Rochdale child sex abuse victims?
The abuse took place between 2008 and 2009 and centred around two takeaways in Heywood near Rochdale.
One victim had gone to the police to report the grooming but the CPS decided to drop the case.
The victims were vulnerable teenagers from deprived backgrounds who were targeted in "honeypot locations" where youngsters would hang out.
They were bribed into keeping quiet about the abuse with alcohol, drugs, food, money and other gifts.
Many of the girls were physically assaulted and raped by up to five men at a time and were passed around friends or family of the abusers while being plied with booze and drugs.
A 13-year-old victim had an abortion after falling pregnant and a 15-year-old was too drunk to remember being raped by 20 men one after the after.
What happened to the Rochdale child sex abuse ring?
In 2012 nine men were jailed for their part in a child sexual exploitation ring in Rochdale.
The men from Rochdale and Oldham were found guilty of offences including rape and conspiracy to engage in sexual activity with a child.
The vile group exploited girls as young as 13 and were initially given sentences ranging from four to 19 years.
The court heard how the men – eight of Pakistani origin and one from Afghanistan – gave their victims drink and drugs before “passing them” round for sex.
The abuse took place at two takeaway restaurants- now under new management – in the Heywood area of Rochdale by the men aged between 24 and 59.
It led to police forces across the country changing the way that they deal with missing people.
Twelve council workers came under investigation for failures in relation to the case, and both the police and Crown Prosecution Service were forced to apologise for missing a chance to stop the gang in 2008.
Who were the grooming gang?
Nine men were jailed for their part in the child sexual exploitation ring.
Judge Gerald Clifton said at the time that the men – eight of Pakistani origin and one from Afghanistan – treated the girls “as though they were worthless and beyond respect”.
Shabir Ahmed, the ringleader of a group of men who preyed on girls, was jailed for 22 years after being convicted of a string of offences including rape in 2012.
Four members of the grooming gang – including ringleader Ahmed – now face deportation to Pakistan.
The other three are Adil Khan, Qari Abdul Rauf and Abdul Aziz.
Khan, Rauf and Aziz were convicted of conspiracy and trafficking for sexual exploitation charges.
In December 2013 a further five men were jailed after an investigation into the sexual abuse of a girl was reopened following the exposure of police failings.
The victim told police in 2008 Freddie Kendakumana raped her but he was not charged until October 2012.
In 2015 three men were sentenced for a string of child sexual offences that took place in Rochdale.
Two girls aged 13 and 15 and a 13-year-old boy were groomed by the three men between September and October 2014 after repeatedly going missing from care.
