Boy ‘forced to steal and sell drugs’

Horrific burns found on the victim.

AN Oldham schoolboy subjected to an unbelievable campaign of violence and abuse told how he was forced to steal from his own family and sell drugs to get cash for his tormentors.

The youngster, 15 at the time, last year, said he had to give the ringleader of the group of five tormentors around £80 per week and had a handed over £800 or more.

He had been ordered to steal his mother’s credit card and PIN number - and was beaten when he refused.

Manchester Crown Court was told the youngster simply wanted to be a part of the group. Instead they humiliated, abused and assaulted him over several months.

His ordeal ended only after a horrifying incidence of torture in which he was kidnapped, cut with a knife, branded up to eight times with a hot steam iron and had salt and lemon juice rubbed in the wounds. He says he was also forced to indulge in a sex act with the ringleader, against his will.

The youth - unidentified, like the accused as they are all under 18 admitted in a video for the court that despite his treatment he continued to want to be friends with the group: “It was a stupid, stupid thing to do,” he said.

The boy kept quiet about his abuse even after the torture incident, when teachers became concerned and called police.

Before the court is one of the five youths who pleads not guilty to nine offences: false imprisonment, three counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, wounding with intent, unlawful wounding, blackmail, theft and causing the victim to engage in sexual activity .

The remaining four have all pleaded guilty to offences related to the case. They will be sentenced at the end of the trial.

The trial continues