On 17 October 2019, the trial commenced at Oxford Crown Court of four men accused of grooming and sexually abusing three teenage girls.

The men were charged with 39 offences, including, rape, conspiracy to rape, indecent assault, and supply of a Class B drug. They have pleaded not guilty to the charges. The girls were aged between 13 and 15 at the time of the abuse, which occurred between 1999 and 2001. The trial has been listed for six weeks.

The Court has heard that the girls were forced to take drugs and abused in public spaces, including parks. They were also abused in toilets, cars and in empty properties. The girls were repeatedly raped and were forced to have sex with multiple men by the groomers.

The prosecutor has stated that the men exhibited “grooming behaviour designed to extinguish freedom of choice, to create an illusion of consent.”. He also stated that some of the girls were kidnapped and falsely imprisoned.

The jury heard that one of the girls was taken to a house where she was locked in a room. She was forced to have sex with men who would arrive for that purpose.

Every year, news of the sexual exploitation of children and vulnerable adults being is brought to the public’s attention. Many children have been let down by local authorities and police forces who failed to protect them from abuse.

We have represented several victims of sexual exploitation and grooming in Oxford and work with experienced barristers within this area of law to seek justice for clients and to ensure that the relevant bodies are held accountable.

For more information about pursuing a compensation claim for abuse, our team of solicitors can help. Whilst it may seem a daunting prospect, our lawyers have helped many victims of abuse to complete claims in a safe and confidential manner.

It is important to remember that any abuse suffered in scenarios such as those mentioned above are not your fault, and could have been stopped or prevented if those in positions of power had acted.

To speak to a member of the team in confidence, call our dedicated abuse line on 0330 134 6430 or you can email us through our online contact form and we will get back to you.