London, June 15 (ANI): Young girls aged between 13 and 15, were plied with alcohol, drugs and cuddly toys in order to encourage them to have sex with middle-aged men.

Anthony Lambert, 51, Stefan Godfrey, 44, John Shaw, 54, Ijaz Ahmed, 35, and Mark Adaoui, 40, are accused of picking the youngsters up from streets in Derby and paying them up to 30 pounds to perform sex acts.

It is claimed that they targeted the three alleged victims, all of whom came from troubled backgrounds and had been involved with social care.

Prosecutor Mark Achurch told the jury at the Derby Crown Court that the men 'took advantage of young and vulnerable girls buying them gifts, giving them cigarettes, alcohol and sometimes drugs, to curry favour so that they could continue to pay them for sex'.

He said the men, all from Derbyshire, were not connected and had each acted alone.

They are young women who have come from difficult backgrounds and have been heavily involved with social care. They are by definition vulnerable. They have not had the sort of parental attention they deserve, the Daily Mail quoted Achurch, as saying.

He also said it was not alleged that any of the men had induced or tempted the girls into selling themselves but 'by treating them and flattering them, the defendants ensured they would carry on doing what they were doing'.

The jury was shown CCTV footage of Shaw booking one of the accusers and a friend into Jurys Inn hotel, Derby.

Lambert faces two counts of sexual activity with a girl aged 15 and one count of paying for sexual services of a girl. Godfrey is charged with two counts of rape and two counts of paying for sexual services.

Shaw faces six charges of paying for sexual services of a girl aged between 13 and 15, while Ahmed is accused of three counts of paying for sexual services with a girl aged 15 and Adaoui is accused of four counts of paying for sexual services with a girl aged between 13 and 15, supplying Class B drugs, and possession with intent to supply Class B drugs. (ANI)