Four thugs who raped a vulnerable girl after she turned to them for help have been jailed for a total of 49 years today.

The 16 year old drunk victim was gang raped by the heartless attackers who taunted her and took advantage after meeting her in Thanet.

Today, Judge Heather Norton told them: "This was an appalling and repeated gang rape of a vulnerable girl who had sought your help.

“There were elements of abduction and it was a prolonged incident. The circumstances were degrading, she was pushed onto a mattress, passed between you and she was raped multiple times.”

The girl – who had asked the men for directions – was taken to a room above a kebab and pizza restaurant in Ramsgate in September and subjected to "a prolonged ordeal of degradation and humiliation".

Prosecutor Simon Taylor revealed that after pushing the girl onto a mattress, they carried out multiple rapes “and laughed as they put her through the ordeal”.

Shershah Muslimyar, 21, of Hovenden Close, Canterbury, restaurant owner Tamin Rahmani, 38, of Northwood Road, Ramsgate and Rafiullah Hamidy, 24, formerly of High Street, Herne Bay, were each jailed for 14 years.

A 17 year old from Ashford, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was ordered to be detained for seven years.

All four had been found guilty of three charges of rape at the end of an 18 day trial.

Prosecutor Simon Taylor told Canterbury Crown Court: “The girl was undoubtedly drunk and was walking the streets alone late at night. Her drunkenness, youth and vulnerability would have been recognised by the defendants.

"And it was these factors that they took advantage of in the couple of hours that followed."

Mr Taylor said the girl was taken to the home of Rahani, a flat above the 555 Pizza restaurant he owned.

“Once there she was raped by men on multiple occasions. Through drink, and most likely the trauma what happened to her, she was unable to provide any detailed descriptions of the attacks."

Mr Taylor told the jury: “The girl had found herself in a room of the second floor above a takeaway.

“In that grubby room, with an uncovered mattress on the floor, multiple males had sex with the teenager.

“She says that she did not consent. Indeed, you may well conclude that she was too drunk to give any true consent to any sexual intercourse in any event.

“But what is clear is that each of the men took the opportunity to have a little ‘fun’ at her expense," he told the jury.

Mr Taylor said the teenager had been out with friends that evening and had been making her way home.

He added that she drunk alcohol which was the equivalent of being twice over the drink-drive limit and the jury was shown video taken by friends of the girl showing her “rolling around the floor drunk” earlier that evening.

After the alleged attacks, she was “escorted” out of the property by one of the men “and left to roam the streets alone”, claimed Mr Taylor.

The girl was found “sobbing and distressed” by a woman returning home, and taken into her home for safety.

After the sentencing, senior investigating officer Detective Inspector Richard Vickery said: "The victim in this case was a vulnerable teenage girl who was taken advantage of and subjected to some of the most horrendous crimes imaginable.

"The victim in this case was a vulnerable teenage girl who was taken advantage of and subjected to some of the most horrendous crimes imaginable" - Detective Inspector Richard Vickery

"It was late at night, she was lost and she asked a group of men for directions. Instead they saw an opportunity to fulfil their depraved sexual desires and betrayed the trust she placed in them in the worst possible way.

"Rape is an abhorrent crime and the victim has suffered a great deal of emotional harm from the ordeal she was forced to endure.

"She has displayed tremendous courage in reliving what happened to her, and I would like to personally thank her for having the strength to help bring her offenders to justice.

"They clearly pose a significant danger to women and children and are fully deserving of the lengthy prison sentences they have received."

Glenn Harris, for Afghan-born Muslimyar, said he fled the Taliban to come to the UK.

"My client still maintains his innocence," he said. "This was an isolated incident. He is regarded as an illegal immigrant and he is appealing that ruling."

Eugene Maclaughlin, for father-of-five Rahmani, said he had lived in Ramsgate legally and had built up a successful pizza takeaway, and Indian food businesses in Thanet and Canterbury.

He continued: "Friends describe him as displaying kindness and having a caring disposition, showing a degree of generosity to family and friends."

Dominic Webber said the 17 year old was vulnerable to coercion.

He said: "There is nothing to show he is predatory. He is an example of being in the wrong place at the wrong time and will pay a heavy price for that."

After the sentencing the judge praised the police for their painstaking and dedicated investigation.