Four men convicted of child sexual exploitation in Glasgow

4 men have been convicted of grooming and sexually abusing a 15-year-old schoolgirl.

Aivars Hauberts, 21, Ailands Aleksanders, 22, Hardis Gindra, 27, and Ludvigs Rudevics. 35, treated the schoolgirl as a sex object.

Hauberts, Aleksanders and Rudevics, were found guilty at the High Court in Glasgow of raping her and co-accused Gindra was convicted of having under-age sex with her in 2015. All four are originally from Latvia.

Prosecutor Bernard Ablett said: “They groomed and sexually exploited her and used her as nothing other that a sex object.”

Judge Lord Armstong placed all four on the sex offenders' register and deferred sentence on them until next month for background reports.

He granted Gindra bail and remanded the others in custody

Their victim who is now 19 and lives in Glasgow told Mr Ablett she drank vodka and Mad Dog at a birthday party and was 'extremely drunk.”

She sobbed as she told of how Hauberts and Alekanders, who were at the party, at a flat in Burnfield Road, Glasgow, on June 3, 2015, raped her.

She said in evidence that she was intoxicated and falling in and out of sleep.

The victim also told the court that Rudevics raped her at a flat in Ardencraig Road, Glasgow, in July 14, 2015, after offering her a place to stay for the night, and that Gindra had under age sex with her in an unknown location on June 13, 2015.

The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said she was introduced to the men by a schoolfriend.

She said initially the men were very polite, but added: “They started speaking sexually to me. Talking about sex and my body and stuff like that,”

Mr Ablett asked her: “What did they want to do,” and she replied: “Touch my body and have sex with me.”

She said she went with men she knew as Aivars and Ailands and other men to a ground floor flat in Glasgow and when asked why she went there with them replied: “To have my birthday party. There was a table set up with drink and snacks in the living room.”

The witness said after drinking vodka and Mad Dog she was feeling ill and went to a bedroom to lie down.

Mr Ablett said: “What happened next,” and she said: “I remember seeing some people coming into the bedroom. There were three or four people there. I can't remember the faces, but I'm adamant it was the people I went to the flat with.

“My clothes started to come off and I was too drunk to do anything. I remember people starting to have sex with me.”

Mr Ablett asked her: “Who was having sex with you,” and she said: “I'm sure Ailands,and Aivars

He then said: “Was there any discussions as to whether the males could have sex with you,” and the woman replied: “I wouldn't have been able to answer it properly because I was extremely drunk.”

The witness was asked why she socialised with these men and she said: “It was the only attention I was getting in my life. They were nice to me and they were making me feel good.”

Mr Ablett said: “What did you like about them,” and she replied: “The compliments, the attention. I could get drugs and alcohol whenever I wanted. “

She was asked if they bought her anything else and replied: “Underwear and bras and stuff like that.”

All four denied the charges against them.

As Hauberts, Aleksanders and Rudevics were led away to the cells family members sitting in the public gallery of the courtroom began sobbing.

Detective Inspector Christopher Nisbet, senior investigating officer for this case, said: "A huge amount of credit and praise must be given to the victim who bravely came forward and spoke to the police.

We spent a lot of time with her to build this case and today's conviction could not have been achieved without her courage.

"People who are involved in the sexual exploitation of children prey on vulnerabilities and use a number of tactics to groom their victim. It's a despicable crime.

I must also praise the work of social services at Renfrewshire Council who worked alongside us to help the victim move on with her life, which she has managed to do.

"We would encourage anyone who has been a victim of sexual crimes or anyone who has any information about similar crimes in their area to contact Police Scotland on 101."

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