Two men have been jailed for a total of 15 years for raping a girl under 13.

The pair were caught after the victim’s mother alerted police because she was concerned her daughter may have been groomed by the men.

Patrick Brooks, 22, and Tommy Connors, 21, were convicted at St Albans Crown Court after a trial and sentenced on Friday.

Connors received an eight year sentence and Brooks was sentenced to seven years.

The rapes happened in January and February last year in the Watford area.

Tommy Connors of no fixed address was convicted of two counts of rape of child under 13 on January 17 and February 8 in 2017.

Patrick Brooks of no fixed address was convicted of one of rape of child under 13 on January 17 in 2017.

The men had denied the offences but investigators built up a case against them which included gathering material from the social media accounts of all parties.

Cell site data from the mobile phones of the two men also confirmed details given by the victim as to where the offences had taken place.