Four men who groomed and sexually abused a vulnerable 15-year-old schoolgirl were today jailed for a total of 15 years.

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

Hauberts, Aleksanders and Rudevics, who are all originally from Latvia, were found guilty at the High Court in Glasgow of raping her, but continue to deny this.

Hauberts and Aleksanders were each jailed for four years and Rudevics was jailed for six years.

Co-accused Gindra who was found guilty of having under-age sex with he on two occasions in 2015, was jailed for a year.

At the High Court in Glasgow judge Lord Armstrong told the four accused: “You have each been convicted of the sexually exploiting and abuse of a vulnerable teenage girl who at the relevant time was only 15 years of age when this took place in June and July 2015.

“Aivarts Hauberts, Aillnads Aleksanders and Ludvigs Rudevics you stand convicted of raping this young girl. That is a grave crime from which all young girls and women should be protected.”

All four accused were placed on the sex offenders' register.

Their young victim, who was in court to see them sentenced, made no comment.

The four accused bought lingerie for the girl, as well as plying her with alcohol and cannabis.

Their aim was to have sex with her.

Their victim who is now 19 and lives in Glasgow told prosecutor Bernard 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,”

She said she went with men she knew as Aivars and Ailands and other men to a ground floor flat in Glasgow.

The witness said after drinking alcohol she felt ill and went to a bedroom to lie down.

She said: “I remember seeing some people coming in. There were three or four people there. 

“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

The witness was asked  why she socialised with these men and 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. “

Defence QC Thomas Ross, representing Hauberts, said: “He has no previous convictions and he continues to deny this offence..”

Tony Graham QC, representing Aleksanders, said: “He continues to deny any sexual contact with the complainer.”

QC Iain McSporran, representing Rudevics said: “He denies the rape. He shows no remorse, but it would be somewhat odd to express remorse for something he claims he didn't do.”