Three teenagers who tortured a young man believing that he had ‘grassed them up' to the police have been jailed.

Joe Cunnah, 19, of Norris Road, Chester, was handed a nine-year prison sentence after admitting charges of causing grievous bodily harm with intent and false imprisonment.

A 17-year-old boy from Warrington, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty to the same charges and was sentenced to seven years in a young offenders’ institution.

Joshua Parry, 18, of Cemlyn Close, Chester, was jailed for four years after admitting a charge of false imprisonment. He pleaded not guilty to causing grievous bodily harm with intent and the judge ordered that charge to remain on file.

Following the sentencing at Chester Crown Court on Monday (March 26), Andrea Ellis, a detective constable at Cheshire police, said: “The 19-year-old victim from Chester was held against his will on October 7, 2017, and assaulted with multiple weapons for a prolonged period of time.

“He suffered numerous injuries, including fractures to his face and jaw, and the incident could have been far worse had he not managed to escape through a bathroom window after his captors had fallen asleep.

Cheshire police conducted an extensive investigation into this horrific incident. The vicious and prolonged assault has left the victim with emotional as well as physical scars and we hope that the significant sentences that have been handed out to all three offenders will offer some comfort to him as he looks to rebuild his life.”

In the case of 19-year-old Thomas Heenan, of Hoole Lane, Chester, no evidence was offered by the prosecution on a charge of GBH which was dismissed while on a separate charge of false imprisonment, the judge directed the jury to find him not guilty.