TWO men who groomed and raped two 15-year-old girls in care were told by a judge that they had led “pretty depraved” lives”.

John Anthony Delaney and John James Purcell were both jailed for 14 years for their roles in grooming, trafficking and then raping the two teenagers between December 2011 and April 2012.

They plied them with alcohol and took them to hotels in Cheshire and Flintshire where they were used for the sexual gratification of the pair and others.

Judge Rhys Rowlands told the duo they had deliberately targeted and groomed the girls who were “extremely vulnerable”.

“The two victims are now young women in their early 20s, but they gave evidence of how they were plied with drink and offered drugs,” said the judge.

“It was a testament of their courage they came forward and they had to live with what you did to them while you were living your lives as if nothing happened.

“Over two to three months these 15-year-old girls were groomed by the two of you. You were aware of their ages and you were aware that they were in care.

“You took them to hotels where you took advantage of them – it was pretty sordid.”

Mold Crown Court heard one of the victims suffered flashbacks about the abuse suffered at the hands of Delaney and Purcell.

In a victim impact statement she said that now when she hears men talking with an Irish accent she “freezes”.

The other victim said she had lost her trust in men and told of how her education had suffered as a result of the sex attacks.

Defence barrister Denise Fitzpatrick for Delaney said it was not a “campaign of rape” and both the girls had not been “forced” to go to the hotels or get into the men’s vehicles.

She added Delaney suffered from depression and anxiety.

“In the last five years he has got married and his wife has had two sons,” said Ms Fitzpatrick.

“He has turned his life around and he has the support of his family and his wife, who speaks of his kindness.”

Purcell, a father of three, is already serving a five-and-a-half year sentence and had been due to be released this month. He was the subject of a supervision order for a sexual offence in his teens.

The court was told he had been unable to read and write when he went to prison, but has since put that right and was motivated to change his ways for the sake of his wife and children.

Delaney, 33, of Ruthin Road Caravan Site, Wrexham was found guilty of three charges of sex trafficking, two charges of rape and one of sexual assault.

He was cleared of two rape charges, one of sex trafficking and one of arranging a child sex offence.

Purcell, 31, of Crescent Road, Ellesmere Port was convicted of four counts of trafficking and two counts of rape.

He was cleared of one count of rape and one of arranging a child sex offence.

Two other co-defendants were cleared of rape and trafficking charges during and after a month-long trial.

Todd Wickens, 28, of Homestead Lane, Wrexham was cleared of rape and sex trafficking.

John McGrath, 27, of Bryn Hedd, Southsea, Wrexham was cleared of rape.

Judge Rowlands told Delaney and Purcell they would have to sign on the Sex Offenders Register for life.

However, he made a point of telling them: “The two of you are members of the travelling community, but this is nothing to do with your ethnicity.”

Investigating officer Detective Chief Inspector Alun Oldfield, of North Wales Police, said after the hearing: “Hopefully the victims can now move on with their lives in the knowledge that these paedophiles have been brought to justice.

“I would encourage anyone who has been the victim of sexual abuse, no matter how long ago, to contact North Wales Police.”