YOU have been found guilty by a jury of a series of sexual crimes of the utmost gravity. The offences involved the exploitation and abuse of young, highly vulnerable girls in the Oxford area over a long period.

On occasions the depravity was extreme.

You targeted the young girls because they were vulnerable, under-age and out of control. They tended to have troubled upbringings and unsettled home lives. You subjected them to repeated abuse. This was a pattern which repeated itself over and over again.

Each victim was “groomed”, coerced, and intimidated to facilitate the commission of the offences and to make the likelihood of them ever reporting them remote. This involved planning. You would build up their trust, providing them with drink, drugs and attention which they craved. The effect was that some complainants became addicted to drugs, whilst others had an existing habit hardened.

You would develop power over the children which would drive a wedge between them and their parents. If a girl showed reluctance, you would enforce compliance with threats and brutality. In some cases it may not have been in day-to-day control, but you were in a position to enforce your power over them when you wanted to do so.

Each of the first four complainants felt both fear and misguided loyalty to you. Police and social services missed tell-tale signs. Their sexualized behaviour was misunderstood.

No doubt you committed these terrible crimes in the belief that these girls would never be believed. No doubt this encouraged you to carry on your depraved conduct.

We have heard about a sub-culture in the Cowley Road where there was little moral compass and little or no effort to control. The defence have gone so far as to suggest there was a willful blindness by the authorities. Whether that be right or not, it does not in any way justify your actions.

Each of these six young girls have showed enormous courage in coming to the Old Bailey to give evidence (i) knowing that they would be accused of lying (ii) knowing they would have to re-live their ordeals (iii) knowing they have not been believed by the authorities in the past.

It is to be hoped that their courage in coming forward to give evidence has not only exposed your activities but will send a message to and act as a deterrent to others who are tempted to act in this way. Furthermore, it is to be hoped that lessons will be learnt and the appropriate authorities will not fail in the future to take appropriate action in the face of evidence of such activities.

There can be no doubt that your activities have caused them immense psychological harm. In some instances you have put their parents through many days of torment and distress.

Akhtar Dogar, Anjum Dogar: Your depraved conduct involved the brutal sexual exploitation of three young vulnerable girls. On occasions, you Akhtar Dogar and Anjum Dogar acted with great brutality.

I have come to the conclusion (I must impose a sentence of imprisonment for life) without hesitation in both your cases. The three conspiracies to rape against separate victims. Count 10 (Shotover Woods) was an offence involving extreme depravity.

Kamar Jamil: The author of the pre-sentence report assesses you as posing a high risk of serious harm to female children aged 11 to 16.

Mohammed Karrar: You exhibited exceptional depravity both for your own sexual gratification and for your own commercial operations.

Many of your activities involved planning. The sufferings of your two young vulnerable victims were extreme, and over a long period. I consider on all the information before me, including the pre-sentence report, that you do and will continue to represent a high risk of causing serious harm to young girls by the commission of further specified offences. Your offences do fall into the category where only a life sentence can be justified.

Bassam Karrar: You do pose a significant risk of serious harm to young girls from the commission of further offences. Furthermore, looking at your offending, I am unable to say how long that risk will continue.

Assad Hussain: You have a predatory sexual interest in young girls, and your actions show a callous disregard for the consequences of your actions. Sarah West, the author of the pre-sentence report, has concluded that you do pose a high risk of harm to females aged 12 to 16, presenting a medium risk likelihood of re-offending in this way.

Zeeshan Ahmed: I have no doubt that you had and have a predatory sexual interest in young girls. I have no doubt that you do pose a significant risk in the future of serious harm to members of the public.

WHAT DOES 'LIFE' MEAN?

THE imposition of a life sentence does not mean the rest of the defendant’s life behind bars.

The five men given life sentences will serve the minimum term stated in prison before they can even be initially considered for release. But the Parole Board will only authorise their release if they are not deemed a threat to the community.

They will remain on licence for the rest of their lives and can be recalled to prison if they breach conditions placed upon them when they were freed.

Assad Hussain and Zeeshan Ahmed will spend half of the seven years in prison before they are released. The start of their prison term will be backdated to when they were first remanded in custody after their arrests.