Blood-soaked victims photographed by tormentors

Their drug and alcohol-fuelled attackers - Martin Harris, 23 and Mark Wright, 32 - were today starting jail sentences of ten years nine months and nine and a half years respectively.

"It was gratuitous and degrading behaviour," Mr Justin Jamala, prosecuting told Wolverhampton Crown Court.

The pair of thugs mercilessly beat the men with whom they had previously shared a hostel, it was said.

Violence flared when the quartet met at a flat in Compton Road, Merridale on April 14, continued Mr Jamala.

Harris and Wright, who both lived at the address, launched a frenzied attack on one man, repeatedly punching and kicking him, said the prosecutor.

The victim was covered with blood and allowed to clean himself before the beating continued, it was said. At one stage he was hit by an electric fire while desperately pleading for the attack to end, added Mr Jamala.

The other victim was also struck by both defendants before the pair were forced to strip, simulate a sex act and then pose for the demeaning photograph that was later found on the phone of Wright, the judge was told.

One victim called police after being allowed to leave the flat and was found to have a double fracture to the jaw, further fractures to a rib and finger while his body was covered in cuts and bruises. The other man suffered bruises and abrasions to the face and body.

The attack was witnessed by 28-year-old Rebecca Hill who, 11 days later, made a threatening call urging one of the victims to lie about the incident but, by chance, a police officer was visiting him at the time and listened to the conversation when the mobile phone was switched to loudspeaker, the court heard.

Mr Jasvir Mann, for father of one Wright, said: "He is thoroughly ashamed of his behaviour and the suffering caused to the complainants."

Mr Ekwall Tiwana, representing Harris who has two children and was on licence from prison after serving a sentence for causing grievous bodily harm at the time of the attack, disclosed: "He is shaken by what he did but blames the drink and drugs to which he was addicted."

The two male defendants each admitted causing grievous bodily harm with intent and assault and were jailed by Judge John Warner who told the pair: "Your victims were tormented in a cruel and vicious way, part of which was photographed."

Hill, from Ivanhoe Street, Dudley pleaded guilty to attempting to pervert the course of justice and was sent locked up for 12 months after the Judge commented: "You had witnessed this horrific incident and knew exactly what you were trying to cover up."