Seven men to face trial over child exploitation

SEVEN young men will face a trial next May over a series of sex and drugs offences relating to girls as young as 14 in Bristol over more than two years.

- TRISTAN CORK

The group appeared before a judge at Bristol Crown Court for the first time yesterday, in a case that involves the child sexual exploitation and rape of girls between 2022 and 2024.

The seven have been charged with a total of 44 offences, with one of the defendants charged with an additional six offences earlier this week.

A hearing before the Recorder of Bristol, His Honour Judge Peter Blair, dealt largely with a timeline for the seven to be brought to trial, and who would be representing them.

The judge turned down two applications for two of the defendants to switch their legal teams, and said it would be expected that the six additional offences one of the defendants was charged with earlier this week would be added to the case overall.

Six of the seven appeared in court in Bristol yesterday, with one appearing via videolink from prison where he is on remand.

The charges were not put to the seven defendants and they were not asked to plead. An eight-week trial was scheduled to start on May 5 next year, with other preliminary hearings taking place in February and March to prepare for that trial.