TWO men groomed teenage girls with alcohol and cigarettes before sexually abusing them.

Osmon Koroma and Max N'Gasa have today been convicted of a total 18 sexual offences. 

The friends bought the girls alcohol and cigarettes and invited them up to Koroma's flat at the time in Wick Parade, Littlehampton. 

Osmon Koroma, a labourer, 31, of Norton Road, Hove, (left in picture) has been convicted of eight offences against five girls.

They were: one rape, two sexual assaults and five offences of sexual activity with a child.

Max N'Gasa, a gardener, 25, of Cranmer Avenue, Hove, (right in picture) has been convicted of 10 offences against seven girls.

They were two offences of rape and eight offences of sexual activity with a child.

The jury verdicts in each case were unanimous.

N'Gasa was found not guilty of one sexual assault and one offence of attempting to carry out sexual activity with a child.

The offences were committed between 2010 and 2014 and the victims were aged between 13 and 15 at the time.

Koroma and N'Gasa were arrested on March 12 last year and were charged in October last year. 

Detective Chief Inspector Miles Ockwell said: "Young girls were sexually abused by one or other of these defendants and sometimes by both.

"Both men befriended young schoolgirls who would frequent the shopping parade, groomed them and ultimately exploited them by requesting sexual acts in return for purchasing cigarettes and alcohol on their behalf.

"Some of the victims knew each other, but others did not, as this offending went on with numerous children over four years.

"Such was the level of grooming that took place, many of the girls considered that they were in relationships with the pair, despite the obvious significant age gap between them.

"I want to pay tribute to all of the girls who had the courage to stand up in court and tell their stories.

"In doing so, they have undoubtedly saved other children who may have been targeted by this pair."

The two men will be sentenced on June 7.