TWO 'predatory’ Slough men have been jailed for sexually exploiting three vulnerable teenage girls.

Esmatullah Haidaree, 46, of Farm Crescent, and Azim Ahmed, 23, of Diamond Road, were jailed at Reading Crown Court on Monday for two years and six years respectively.

The pair were imprisoned for acts committed at a flat in Stratfield Road between January and May 2013. The two men invited the teenagers to the flat for 'social gatherings’ where they were plied with food and alcohol before being exploited. The first victim was homeless after falling out with her family and Ahmed offered the flat to her as a refuge.

The court heard Ahmed engaged in sexual activity with the victims while Haidaree incited the girls to engage in sexual activity and sexually assaulted them.

In sentencing, referencing the first victim, Judge Johannah Cutts, said: “You [Ahmed] exploited that girl, in my view grooming her, supplying her with money and food and bought her alcohol in order to have sexual intercourse with her.” The court heard how Haidaree had got into a bed where one of the girls slept and put his hands under the cover to touch her and had also grabbed the breasts of a girl from behind. Judge Cutts said: “You, Mr Haidaree, clearly wanted to join in with the sexual activities that were taking place in the flat.

“In my view, all of this sexual activity was planned.” Defending Ahmed, Neil Griffin argued the 23-year-old had been the main breadwinner for his family since the age of 17, had missed out on growing up and so was 'immature’. Mr Griffin added letters from Ahmed’s family and girlfriend showed he had changed his ways and had even donated bone marrow to help his severely ill sister.

Mr Griffin added: “He is a 23-year-old man who is of good character, has never been in trouble before and did not coerce the girls. He is not the common sort of defendant.” Haidaree’s defence barrister Bartholomew O’Toole said: “The victims weren’t physically engaged nor were they physically detained by him. He didn’t physically force himself on them, but he did do it without their consent.” Mr O’Toole added Haidaree, a father-of-five, was also the breadwinner for his family and suffered from a number of health ailments ranging from a heart attack suffered in 2011 to asthma, allergies and haemorrhoids. The pair had appeared for sentencing after being tried in December last year at the same court. Haidaree was found guilty of two counts of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and four counts of sexual assault and Ahmed was convicted of five counts of sexual activity with a child.

Ahmed was found not guilty of one count of sexual activity with a child under 13 and two counts of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

Both had pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Ahmed will be on the Sex Offenders’ Register for life. Haidaree will be on the register for 10 years. Both men were issued with a 10-year sex offences prevention order and a restraining order banning them from contacting the victims for 10 years. The sentencing of Ahmed drew gasps from his family seated in the public gallery where they were joined by Cllr Shafiq Chaudhry, mayor of Slough who had attended court to support them.

Thames Valley Police statement Detective Sergeant Richard Jarvis, an officer in the case, said: “I am pleased with today’s sentences which reflect the severity of the offences committed by both Haidaree and Khan. Both took advantage of three young and vulnerable girls.

“The sentences should also send out a clear message to anyone targeting children in this way, that Thames Valley Police will not tolerate such criminality and will pursue and convict those responsible.

“I would like to take this opportunity to once again thank the victims for their absolute bravery in coming forward and their courage in giving evidence at court last year. My thoughts continue to be with them, their families and also the witnesses who gave evidence.” Crown Prosecution Service statement Adrian Foster, Chief Crown Prosecutor for Thames and Chiltern Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said: “The actions of these two men were truly appalling. No-one, let alone a child, should ever be exploited as these young girls were. I commend their bravery in providing evidence for the prosecution. They have enabled their abusers to face trial and be brought to justice.

“The two men, Azim Ahmed, aged 23 and Esmatullah Haidaree, aged 45, both from Slough, who were convicted on 16 December last year of a number of sexual offences have still failed to accept any responsibility for their actions. They are nothing less than sexual predators. The jury saw through their fabrications and they must now face full responsibility for their despicable behaviour.

“The Crown Prosecution Service has made tackling child sexual abuse a national priority. Last year the Director of Public Prosecutions announced a radical programme of work in this area to ensure that police and prosecutors deliver justice for more victims than ever before. We are becoming increasingly adept at securing convictions and delivering justice for victims.

“In this case we worked closely with Thames Valley Police from early in the investigation to help build the strongest possible prosecution case. Their investigators, and Crown Prosecution Service lawyers and caseworkers have worked tirelessly to bring this difficult prosecution to court.

“I urge any victims of sexual offences to come forward and report their abuse. We will support you in giving evidence so that your attackers can be brought to justice and others like you can be saved from the horrific ordeal of abuse. The emotional impact, on the victims and their families, of the abhorrent actions of these two men is impossible to quantify. I very much hope that the convictions and today’s sentences provide some comfort to them. Our thoughts are very much with them all at this time.”