Deaf man with learning difficulties held hostage and beaten in two-hour ordeal
A deaf man with learning difficulties was kicked, punched, cut with kitchen knives and humiliated for two terrifying hours while held prisoner in a Black Country flat.
Raju Singh was also stripped, bound hand and foot with rope, put on a chair under a shower and daubed with tomato sauce to make him fear he was bleeding heavily, Wolverhampton Crown Court heard.
As two of his tormentors each started five year jail sentences today the psychologically-scarred victim, who is in his late 40s, declared in a statement: "Now I can try to get some of my life back."
The beating started within minutes of him being lured into the flat by Paramjit Kooner – whom he knew – Satnam Bagurd and a 17-year-old youth, all of whom had been drinking.
Mr Timothy Harrington, prosecuting, concluded: "It cannot properly be described as torture but the humiliation was unquestionable.
"He was beaten, stripped, cut and held against his will for no other reason than drunken entertainment. This had not been planned."
Mr Singh was attacked by 59-year-old Kooner – who lived in the flat in Bilston – and Bagurd, aged 38, who egged on the teenager to join in, the court was told.
The victim was repeatedly punched and kicked before being stripped naked as the two older men 'relished' his humiliation, continued Mr Harrington.
He added: "He suffered a significant beating and was left cold, wet and naked until Kooner began to sober up and started to worry about what had been done."
The victim was given fresh clothes, a pair of dark glasses and released after being photographed on a phone that has not recovered.
He suffered heavy bruising, cuts, scratches and psychological harm during the incident on August 8 2015.
Mr Jasvir Mann, defending, said: "It was designed to put the fear of God into him rather than cause serious physical injury."
Kooner from Bilston High Street and Bagurd of Bradley Road, Parkfields both admitted false imprisonment. They were each jailed for five years.
The teenager admitted assault and was given a 12-month youth rehabilitation order with a three-month night time curfew and was ordered to pay £500 compensation to Mr Singh.
Judge Michael Challinor told the two older defendants: "This was a drunken, sadistic attack on a vulnerable man."
