A Bradford man is among 29 people who have appeared in court facing a total of more than 170 charges relating to the sexual exploitation of 18 children.

Mohammad Azeem, 31, of Wrose Road, Bradford,  is charged with three counts of rape.

He appeared before a district judge at Huddersfield Magistrates Court along with 26 other men and two women charged with offences including rape, trafficking, sexual activity with a child, child neglect, child abduction, supplying drugs and making of indecent images of children.

The defendants were greeted by a handful of protesters outside the court building, where more than 20 police were on duty.

The allegations are non-recent sexual offences, dating back to between

2004 and 2011, and relate to 18 women, who were children at the time.

The youngest child involved was 11 years old.

The defendants, who are mainly from Huddersfield but also include men from Dudley, Sheffield, Bradford, Manchester, and Dewsbury, appeared in groups before District Judge Michael Fanning during a lengthy court sitting on Wednesday.

He transferred all the cases to the crown court. He told the defendants they will all appear again at Leeds Crown Court on May 11, at 9.30am.

The other defendants are:

Amere Singh Dhaliwal, 34, of Holly Road, Huddersfield is charged with 54 offences. He is charged with 21 counts of rape, 14 counts of trafficking, as well as inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, sexual assault, sexual touching, possession of indecent images of a child, racially aggravated assault and inciting a child into prostitution.

Raj Singh Barsran, 33, of Caldercliffe Road, Huddersfield. He is charged with sexual touching and rape.

Abdul Rehman, 29, of Darnley Drive, Sheffield. He is charged with rape, trafficking, supplying drugs, supply of a controlled substance with intent to engage in sexual activity and sexual touching.

Nasarat Hussain, 28, of Upper Mount Street, Huddersfield. He is charged with three counts of rape, attempted rape and inciting a female to engage in sexual activity.

Irfan Ahmed, 32, of Yews Hill Road, Huddersfield. He is charged with six counts of trafficking, sexual assault, making indecent images of a child and inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

Zubair Ahmed, 30, of Blackmoorfoot Road, Huddersfield. He is charged with rape and possession of extreme pornography.

Mohammed Riswan Aslam, 29, of Huddersfield Road, Dewsbury. He is charged with two counts of rape.

Mohammed Kammer, 32, of West View, Huddersfield. He is charged with two counts of rape.

Mohammad Nahman, 31, of West View, Huddersfield. He is charged with trafficking, sexual assault, and two counts of rape.

Hamzha Ali Saleem, 37, of Seymour Grove, Old Trafford, Greater Manchester. He is charged with three counts of trafficking.

Zahid Hassan, 28, of Bland Street, Huddersfield. He is charged with eight counts of rape, five counts of trafficking, racially aggravated assault, supplying drugs, inciting a child into sexual activity, child abduction and attempted rape.

Sajid Hussain, 32, of Grasmere Road, Huddersfield. He is charged with three counts of rape, facilitating the commission of sexual activity on a child and inciting a child into sexual activity.

Mansoor Akhtar, 25, of Blackmoorfoot Road, Huddersfield. He is charged with rape, attempted rape and two counts of trafficking.

Mohammed Asaf Akram, 31, of Springdale Street, Huddersfield. He is charged with seven counts of rape, three counts of trafficking, child abduction, supplying drugs, sexual assault and making threats to kill.

Zulwarnain Dogar, 29, of Central Avenue, Huddersfield. He is charged with sexual touching and trafficking.

Manzoor Hassan, 37, of Bland Street, Huddersfield. He is charged with supply of a noxious substance with intent to injure, annoy or aggrieve a female, supply of Class A drugs and inciting a child into prostitution.

Mohammad Ifraz, 28, of North Road, Huddersfield. He is charged with trafficking a female within the UK with a view to her sexual exploitation, rape, false imprisonment, child abduction, taking indecent images of a child and inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

Wiqas Mahmud, 36, of Banks Crescent, Huddersfield. He is charged with three counts of rape.

Faisal Nadeem, 30, of Carr Green, Huddersfield. He is charged with supplying drugs, rape and possession of extreme pornography.

Niaz Ahmed, 53, of Ned Lane, Slaithwaite, Huddersfield. He is charged with inciting a child into sexual activity and sexual assault.

Asif Bashir, 32, of Thornton Lodge Road, Huddersfield. He is charged with four counts of rape and attempted rape.

Mohammad Imran Ibrar, 32, of Manchester Road, Huddersfield. He is charged with trafficking, facilitating the commission of sexual activity on a child, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, supplying drugs.

Aleem Javaid, 27, of Everard Street, Huddersfield. He is charged with rape and supplying drugs.

Mohammed Saqib Raheel, 30, of Stourbridge Road, Dudley. He is charged with trafficking and child abduction.

Usman Khalid, 29, of Brook Street, Huddersfield. He is charged with sexual assault, child abduction and sexual touching.

Everton La Bastide, 50, of Manchester Road, Huddersfield. He is charged with two counts of sexual assault.

Shahnaz Akhtar Malik, 55, of St Annes Avenue, Huddersfield. She is charged with one count of child neglect.

Naveeda Habib, 38, of Prince Wood Lane, Huddersfield. She is charged with one count of child neglect.

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