Three jailed for gang rape

The girl, with a mental age of eight, screamed in pain as she was disfigured for life. They later laughed while using their mobile phones to record her suffering on the first floor of an empty house undergoing renovation.

Her attackers were among a gang up to 10 who had hoped the powerful corrosive would destroy forensic evidence, Met police officers discovered. As she writhed in agony, they poured water on her, intensifying the burning.

The alarm was raised by a neighbour in Tottenham, north London, who heard her "frantic" cries and found her covered with raw patches on her face and body.

Passing sentence, Judge Shaun Lyons said: "The victim has been left with severe post traumatic stress disorder and many, many physical difficulties."

In the dock were Jamaican-born Rogel McMorris, 18, of Antill Road, Tottenham, north London, who was jailed for nine years after being convicted last month of two rape counts and one of causing grievous bodily harm.

Co-defendants Jason Brew, 19, of High Cross Road, Haringey, north London, and 20-year-old Angolan immigrant Hector Muaimba, of Guildford Road, Waltham Forest, E17, were both found guilty of one charge of rape. The each got six years for attacking the girl, although a further two years was added to Muaimba's sentence for a separate Old Bailey conviction for robbery.

The judge made no specific recommendation about how long the trio should serve and the sentences were condemned by charities representing people with learning difficulties.

Kathryn Stone, of pressure group Voice UK, said: "These sentences don't come close to reflecting the brutality and horror of this attack."

Detective Constable Alex Newton said: "After all the work and the response of the community it feels like no sentence is any justice compared to what the victim has been through. But at the same time it sends out the message that these things will be prosecuted and the offenders will be brought to justice."