A GIRL allegedly sexually abused by men at a Bradford house was “drinking like a fish” at a time she repeatedly went missing from a children’s home, a trial has heard.

Giving evidence at Bradford Crown Court, her grandmother said the teenager, now a woman in her mid-twenties, was staying out late and downing vodka after she was taken into the care of the local authority aged 14.

The witness said staff at the home told her that her granddaughter was causing problems by disappearing at night.

The jury has heard that the teenager did not attend school and would sleep in her room in the day.

After she had moved out of the home, her phone would often ring, her grandmother said. One caller was so persistent that the police were alerted.

The girl had bruises on her arms, legs and face and was self-harming, it was alleged.

The witness said she took her to hospital after cuts to her leg went septic.

“It seemed as if it was pain to take pain away. She was somehow trying to help herself,” she said. “She did not feel worthy and said she needed to punish herself.”

The woman said she threw alcohol she found at the house down the sink.

She told the jury her granddaughter did not have the money to buy that amount of drink.

The girl told her she had been taken to Birmingham and Nottingham and the woman said she had seen her under the influence of alcohol and cocaine.

It is alleged that the girl, and her friend from the children’s home, were manipulated and exploited while craving love and attention.

They were both repeatedly absent from the children’s home and meetings were held between police officers, social workers and management to discuss the situation.

There was concern that the girls were at risk, the court has heard.

They refused to say where they had been and were reluctant to engage with staff, sometimes becoming abusive.

One of the teenagers shouted and screamed when asked to attend a meeting in the afternoon when she wanted to sleep.

A police officer who located one of the missing girls several times said she always seemed fine, never bruised or unhappy.

The ten men on trial deny all the charges against them.

Basharat Khaliq, 38, of Bradford, denies five counts of rape and one count of assault by penetration.

Saeed Akhtar, 55, of Bradford, denies two counts of causing/inciting child prostitution and one of rape.

Yasar Majid, 37, of Milton Keynes, denies one count of rape.

Naveed Akhtar, 43, of Bradford, denies three counts of rape.

Parvaze Ahmed, 36, of Bradford, denies three counts of rape.

Izar Hussain, 32, of Bradford, denies three counts of rape and one of attempted rape.

Zeeshan Ali, 32, of Bradford, denies a charge of sexual assault.

Kieran Harris, 28, of Dewsbury, denies two counts of rape.

Fahim Iqbal, 27, of no fixed abode, denies a charge of aiding and abetting rape and Mohammed Usman, 31, of Bradford, denies two charges of rape.

The trial continues.