Birmingham City Council has become the first to use civil injunctions to protect vulnerable children from exploitation.
Social services brought the civil court proceedings against a number of men amid concerns raised over the welfare of a vulnerable 17-year-old girl.
Mr Justice Keehan QC has granted a long-term order in the High Court against two men aged 27 and 31.
The order bans them from approaching or contacting the girl in question, and further prohibits them from approaching any female under the age of 18 on a long term basis after an initial temporary ban was placed at the start of the proceedings.
The case has been brought to the civil courts as lawyers deemed there was not enough evidence to secure convictions in the criminal courts.
The two men were arrested in October after the girl – who is in the care of the council – was spotted exiting their car at 3am.
After being caught by police, they denied knowing the girl, even though one of the men had her number saved on his phone.
Lorna Meyer QC, representing Birmingham City Council, said that they had decided to take the “innovative legal step” to protect those more vulnerable from situations where they are frightened or that they do not understand.
The case was considered “novel” by a judge at an earlier hearing. Meyer highlighted that unlike in the criminal courts, the civil court procedure does not require the victim to give evidence against the perpetrators.
The civil litigation against the two men and a number of others is ongoing.