Gang beat up man with learning difficulties at his home in 'bullying and brutal' attack
Four thugs who subjected a man with learning difficulties to a 'sustained, bullying and brutal' assault have been locked up for three-and-a-half years.
The gang beat the 23-year-old in his own home in Dudley, after going round to drink as he believed some of them were his friends. That included stripping him to his underpants and submerging him in a bath. The victim also had two puncture wounds to his legs, believed to have been caused by a knife.
All four were handed 42-month sentences at Wolverhampton Crown Court.
Adam Dudley, aged 20, and from Himley Road, Benjamin Fields, aged 24 and from Wellington Road, and 19-year-old Connor Green, from Salop Street, all in Dudley, along with Stephen Loveridge, aged 20 and of no fixed address, were all found guilty of unlawful wounding after a trial.
Sentencing them, Judge Martin Walsh said: "He was subjected to a sustained, bullying and brutal assault. He was stripped down to his underpants and submerged in his bath. He was beaten over a period of time." Despite the beating the injuries were not extensive, with bruising to one eye and to his back, as well as the leg wounds.
But Judge Walsh added: "It's likely the incident lasted for between two to three hours. It's clear to me he had been terrified by the ordeal that had taken place."
Defending Fields, Mr Harry Lally said he had been 'high' on class A drugs at the time of the incident.
He said: "On this occasion it was a one-off as far as violence is concerned, that may have been fuelled by drugs." In Green's defence, barrister Miss Kate Thomas said he had been 'largely cast adrift' at the age of 16 after his mother had died.
She said: " He's a young man who's very naive and very easily led - this offence is a perfect demonstration of that."
Loveridge's barrister Mr Jasvir Mann said he had also been taking drugs that night. He added: "He's a young man who's had a fairly disorganised life."
On behalf of Dudley, Mr Jason Patel said he has 'expressed motivation to change'.
Following the court case, investigating officer DC Dan Bailey said the defendants deserved to be in custody.
He said: "He is a vulnerable victim and it was a sustained attack by four people.We take that kind of thing very seriously. They took advantage of him, and they deserve a custodial sentence. It was a horrendous crime."
