NINE men will face a jury this week accused of being part of a child sex ring.

The defendants face an estimated eight weeks in the dock following their arrest under Thames Valley Police’s Operation Bullfinch last March.

Prosecutors have brought a total of 78 charges against the men, including allegations of rape, arranging or facilitating child prostitution, trafficking for sexual exploitation, trying to cause a miscarriage, supplying a class A drug, sexual activity with a child and assault.

Six girls, who were aged between 11 and 16, are said to be involved and the charges cover the timespan of 2004 to last January.

The first day today is expected to be taken up with resolving legal matters before the lead prosecutor, Noel Lucas, can deliver his opening statement on the case to the jury. That is estimated to be heard tomorrow or Wednesday.

Fourteen addresses were raided across Oxford last March under Operation Bullfinch, an investigation headed up by senior investigating officer Simon Morton.

At the time of the raids, Detective Superintendent Rob Mason said: “We believe we have uncovered an organised crime group who have been running a business of selling young girls for sex.”

Oxfordshire County Council’s children, education and families department was also involved in the investigation.

Kamar Jamil, of Aldrich Road, Summertown, is accused of four rapes, three charges of conspiracy to rape, and two charges of arranging or facilitating child prostitution. The 27-year-old is also charged with trafficking for sexual exploitation.

Brothers Akhtar and Anjum Dogar, of Tawney Street, East Oxford, will also be in the dock accused of crimes between May 2004 and July 2008.

Akhtar, 32, is charged with six counts of rape, three of conspiracy to rape, three of arranging or facilitating child prostitution, and one of sex trafficking.

Anjum, 30, faces four rape charges, three of conspiracy to rape, three of arranging or facilitating child prostitution, and one of sex trafficking.

Assad Hussain, of Ashhurst Way in Rose Hill, Oxford, faces two charges of conspiracy to rape. The 32-year-old also faces three charges of sexual activity with a child.

Cowley Road man Mohammed Karrar, 38, faces seven rape charges, four of conspiracy to rape, two of sex trafficking, and two of arranging or facilitating child prostitution.

The 38-year-old is also charged with supplying a Class A drug, using an instrument with intent to procure a miscarriage, assaulting a child aged 12 by penetration, and conspiracy to assault by penetration.

Bassam Karrar, 33, of no fixed address, is accused of three rapes, three charges of conspiracy to rape, two charges of arranging or facilitating child prostitution, and one of sex trafficking. He also denies conspiracy to assault by penetration.

Mohammed Hussain, of Horspath Road, Cowley, faces one rape charge. The 24-year-old also denies two charges of sexual activity with a child, and one of conspiracy to engage in sexual activity with a child.

Zeeshan Ahmed, of Palmer Road in Wood Farm, faces two charges of sexual activity with a child. The 27-year-old also denies two charges of conspiracy to engage in sexual activity with a child.

Bilal Ahmed, 26, from Suffolk Road, Maidenhead, is charged with sexual activity with a child and conspiring to engage in sexual activity with a child.

Eight men aged between 21 and 35, also arrested as part of Operation Bullfinch, remain on police bail.