Overview

• The jury found Codrin Dura, Leonard Paun, Bogdan Gugiuman, Klaudio Aleksiu and Stefan Ciuraru guilty of exploiting six girls aged 13 to 16.
• The offending occurred between 2015 and 2019, with victims groomed using alcohol, cigarettes and drugs for sexual exploitation.
• The convictions span rape, sexual assault, sexual activity with a child, arranging or facilitating child sex offences, supplying Class A drugs, blackmail and distribution of indecent images.
• Judge Tim Gittins remanded the five in custody and placed them on the sex offenders register on an interim basis pending sentence in four to six weeks.
• A sixth defendant, Ionut Mihai, was acquitted, as police and prosecutors praised victims’ courage and urged other potential victims to come forward.