Victim stripped naked as 'degrading and horrific' attack recorded on Snapchat
Durham Crown Court heard that Josh Workman viciously beat a man while Reuben Sawicki recorded the 'horrific assault' on Snapchat - before dragging their unconscious victim into a field
The victim of a "degrading" attack was stripped naked before he was brutally beaten by thugs, who recorded footage of the assault on Snapchat.
Durham Crown Court heard that Josh Workman removed the clothing of an unidentified victim before viciously punching him in the ribs and head as he lay unconscious, with Reuben Sawicki filming the degrading assault. Sawicki, 18, also filmed the moment Workman, 20, smashed a glass over the man's head, the court was told, with the two now awaiting sentencing after lodging guilty pleas for assault occasioning actual bodily harm after the man was found unconscious and alone in a field.
Teesside Live reports that police were called last year following reports that a man was alone and injured in a field, with investigators later arresting six people in connection with the shock discovery. An investigation concluded he had been dragged to the open space after he was viciously assaulted, with one of the man's relatives finding him with serious injuries.
He sustained a fractured eye socket and jaw injuries, with a recording discovered on Sawicki's mobile later showing how thugs had laid into him before he was abandoned.
The video showed a man wearing a hi-vis jacket lying on the floor of a residence being stripped by Workman, who could be seen stripping him down so his genitals were exposed before pulling his top up and punching him in the ribs. The court heard Workman could also be seen smashing a glass "over or near" the man's head.
Sawicki and Workman could be heard mentioning being "crossed in the video", and the court heard an "element of revenge" was involved in the attack.
Sawicki, who was 17 when the attack was carried out, had four previous convictions for seven offences, the court was told, including burglary and driving offences. Workman was under a community order at the time, and had 10 previous convictions for 31 offences, mainly for dishonesty.
Calum McNicholas, representing Sawicki, said he is remorseful and had "teared himself away from drug addiction", while Tony Davis, defending Workman, said his client was "still lightly convicted" and asked a judge to credit his guilty plea.
While sentencing the pair, Judge Nathan Adams said the two had carried out a "horrific assault" involving "gratuitous degradation of the victim". Judge Adams described the video as being "intended as a message to others [and that] this is what happens if people cross the both of you".
The judge handed Sawicki, of Garside Grove, who he found did not "inflict any violence", an 18 month community order, while Workman, of Camp Street, Peterlee, was jailed for 12 months.
Sawicki must also complete 160 hours unpaid work and 15 rehabilitation days.
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