Abuse victim just wanted to fit in

Horrific burns found on the victim.

THE mother of an Oldham schoolboy subjected to a sickening campaign of abuse says she thought he had started taking drugs because his character changed so dramatically.

The youngster - 15 at the time - stole from family members, made excuses for not going to school and refused to explain an increasing number of bruises.

A court heard during the weeks leading up to a horrifying beating, being slashed with a knife and being “branded” with a hot steam iron, he had seemed afraid to leave the house.

When boys she believed were his friends — in fact his tormentors — called at their Oldham home, he hid in the kitchen and told her to say he wasn’t in.

A jury at Manchester Crown Court had earlier heard how the youngster had hide the extent of his injuries following a final brutal attack last October.

His mother said she had been “distraught” when she saw the brand marks made by the iron, which had been used up to eight times and were still visible five months later.

The jury had earlier been told how the youngster had desperately wanted to be accepted by the group of five other teenagers that made his life a misery.

He had been sold a mobile phone by the ringleader, but the price kept going up after it was handed over, and the victim ended up paying more than £800.

The court was told how the campaign which lasted more than four months began as bullying, but escalated to sinister levels.

All five of the youths were said to have been involved but one pleads not guilty to charges of false imprisonment, three counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, wounding with intent, unlawful wounding, blackmail, theft and causing the boy to engage in a sexual act without his consent.

The four others have pleaded guilty to a number of offences in relation to the case and will be sentenced at the end of the trial.

The trial continues.