TEN men accused of sexually exploiting a young girl for more than four years will appear before court next week for the start of the Operation Ribbon trial.

The defendants, mostly from High Wycombe, will appear before Oxford Crown Court on Monday for a trial expected to last at least five weeks.

The charges - which range from rape and trafficking to conspiracy to rape and encouraging or assisting the commission of an offence - stretch back to 2007 when the alleged victim, who cannot be named, was 12.

The ten denied the accusations at a plea and case management hearing held at Oxford Crown Court in March. They were all released on bail.

Police swooped on properties around the town in November during a coordinated series of raids – dubbed Operation Ribbon.

See the Bucks Free Press website and paper editions for trial updates.