A TRIAL involving charges of rape and the sexual trafficking of young girls has been put back to November.

The trial of John Anthony Delaney, John Michael McGrath and Todd James Wickens was originally fixed for October.

Since then the case of John James Purcell has also been joined to the proceedings.

The case was mentioned in their absence at Mold Crown Court when Judge Rhys Rowlands said the original trial date was no longer possible.

A new date for the trial, which is expected to last four weeks, was fixed for November 5. The offences are alleged to have taken place between December 2011 and April 2012.

Delaney, 32, of Ruthin Road Caravan Park, Wrexham, faces nine charges in total, four counts of rape of a girl under 16, three counts of trafficking women within the UK for sexual exploitation, the sexual assault of a girl aged under 16 years and arranging the commission of a child sex offence.

Wickens, 28, of Homestead Lane, Wrexham, faces two charges of raping a girl aged under 16 and one charge of trafficking a female for sexual exploitation.

McGrath, 26, of Bryn Hedd, Southsea, Wrexham, is charged with raping a girl aged under 16 in 2011 and 2012.

John James Purcell, 30, of Crescent Road in Ellesmere Port, faces three charges of rape, two charges of trafficking and one of arranging a child sex offence.

No pleas have been entered to allow the defendants the option to make applications to dismiss the cases if they wish.