Disabled man 'had paint thrown on him as he was held captive in his home'
A disabled man has described how he had paint thrown over him and a panic cord cut during a two day imprisonment at his own home, a court heard.
In a video statement to police played during the trial of four defendants at Wolverhampton Crown Court, the victim also said his furniture was used to barricade him inside his Oldbury flat.
The statement was played to the jury on Wednesday before the victim appeared in person and was cross-examined by those representing defendants Nicholas Cutler, 44, his son James Cutler, 19, both of Nash Walk, Smethwick, Anthony Knowles, 18, of no fixed address, and a youth who cannot be named for legal reasons.
They are facing trial for false imprisonment, and are accused of assaulting the disabled man and unlawfully and enduringly detaining him against his will between February 1 and 5 this year.
However, when describing his ordeal to police shortly after the incident, the victim only made reference to the younger Cutler and Knowles holding him captive, stating that they must have somehow got hold of his keys after he initially invited them in.
"I fell asleep on the settee because James was using my bed. I couldn't use my own bed, he made sure of that," said the victim in his video statement.
"When I woke up there was paint all over me, my hair and all over my clothes. And all over the flat. They absolutely destroyed everything that I have got," he said.
"The only reason I can see is because I had my eyes closed because I was asleep, but that's no reason for them to do things like that."
During cross-examination, Robert Newcombe, representing Nicholas Cutler, highlighted that his client had been helping the disabled man by doing shopping for him and going with him to get his disability benefit. This was confirmed by the complainant, who responded: "Yes he would come to check that I was alright."
The trial continues.
