Man tortured with blowtorch

A man was tortured with razor blades, darts, a screwdriver and a blowtorch because one of the attackers thought he was responsible for a burglary, a court heard yesterday. Photo / Thinkstock

A man was kidnapped and then tortured with razor blades, darts, a screwdriver and a blowtorch because one of the attackers thought he was responsible for a burglary, a court was told yesterday.

Samuel Smyth, aged 20, was left with burns, cuts, puncture wounds and whip marks after the incident in Wainuiomata last month.

He was found wandering the streets by a member of the public after he managed to escape, The Dominion Post reported.

Three men were charged with kidnapping and wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. One of them, Tristan Joseph Thompson, 27, of Wainuiomata, pleaded guilty to the charge.

The "prolonged and calculated" assault began after Thompson saw Mr Smyth walking along the road while he was driving with a friend in Wainuiomata at 10.30pm on May 22, the Lower Hutt District Court was told yesterday.

Believing that Mr Smyth was responsible for burgling his house the two men got out of the car, punched him and then drove him to a house where he was beaten before being locked up for the night.

The next morning he was driven to Thompson's house in Frederick St where he was tied to a chair and blindfolded in a makeshift torture chamber, the court was told.

Thompson and another man then set upon Mr Smyth using razor blades, screwdrivers and darts to cut into his arms and burning his skin with a blow torch.

Thompson was remanded in custody until next month for a pre-sentence report.

Peter Philip Moore, 21, of Wainuiomata, and Daniel Thomas Rutter, 20, of Naenae, were remanded in custody until later this month.

- NZPA