Five people have been jailed for a combined total of more than 80 years following the exploitation and abuse of three teenage girls in Rhyl.

Four men and a woman were sentenced at Caernarfon Crown Court on Friday after being convicted of more than 40 offences following a three-month trial.

The offences took place between April 2022 and March 2024, when the victims were aged between 14 and 16. They involved incidents at cars, residential properties and business premises across Denbighshire.

The convictions followed two linked North Wales Police investigations, known as Operations Embank and Zirconium, which uncovered evidence of rape, sexual assault, child sexual exploitation, modern slavery, drug supply and attempts to obstruct justice.

Mustafa Iqbal, 43, of Trellewelyn Road, Rhyl, was sentenced to 30 years in prison, followed by a further five years on extended licence.

He was convicted of four counts of rape, sexual assault offences, causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent, conspiracy to traffic, conspiracy to require a person to perform compulsory labour, drug supply offences and other charges.

Mohamed Usman Arshad, 36, of Clifton Grove, Rhyl, was jailed for 19 years after being convicted of three counts of rape, conspiracy to traffic, conspiracy to require a person to perform compulsory labour and supplying cannabis.

Ziaullah Badshah, 25, of Brighton Road, Rhyl, was sentenced to 17 years after being convicted of two counts of rape, conspiracy to traffic, conspiracy to require a person to perform compulsory labour and supplying cannabis.

Jaswinder Singh, 61, of River Street, Rhyl, received an eight-year sentence after being convicted of two counts of conspiracy to traffic and supplying cannabis.

Sarah Gray, 53, of Llanasa Road, Gronant, was also sentenced to eight years in prison. She was convicted of perverting the course of justice, assisting an offender and conspiracy to supply cocaine and cannabis.

North Wales Police said the investigations involved months of work by detectives and specialist teams to establish what had happened and gather evidence.

Senior Investigating Officer DCI Richard Sidney said the conclusion of the case was an important moment for the three victims, who he said continue to live with the consequences of what happened.

He praised their courage throughout the investigation and trial and said the force would continue to pursue those who target children for sexual exploitation.

Following the conclusion of the criminal proceedings, North Wales Police also made a referral to the North Wales Safeguarding Board.

A Single Unified Safeguarding Review is now being carried out and the force says it is fully co-operating with the process.

The review relates to an original investigation in 2022 which was discontinued at the time because of evidential issues. North Wales Police subsequently reopened the investigation, leading to the convictions and prison sentences.

The safeguarding review is ongoing and its report has not yet been published. The force says it would therefore be inappropriate to comment further while that process continues.