Three men have been convicted after they raped a 12-year-old girl over a 72 hour period. Kevin Horvath, 26, and Ivan Turtak, 38, preyed on the youngster after spotting her in a supermarket car park in Dover on August 11 last year.

The pair encouraged her to get into their car where she was given drugs, including crystal meth and amphetamine. The child was then passed between the two men and a third, Ernest Gunar, 27. She was repeatedly raped and subjected to sex acts, according to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

Whenever the girl went out in public with the men during the three day long ordeal she was told she would be killed if she tried to talk to anybody or run away.

But the brave youngster managed to escape after she woke up before them on August 13. She was later found by police in Dover.

Catherine Wear from the CPS said: "The three defendants took a 12-year-old from the street, took full advantage of her, plying her with drugs and using her for their own horrendous gratification.

"None of us can underestimate the impact this has had on her. When she was first found by police, she was unable to tell them what she had been put through as she was so scared and the details only came out gradually after that.

"Thanks to her courage in detailing what happened to her, despite the obvious distress that caused her, these three dangerous men have now been brought to justice for the appalling and callous crimes they committed against her."

Ms Wear said she hoped the verdicts would bring some small comfort to the child as she starts to rebuild her life.