Teenagers shaved vulnerable man’s head and forced him to drink urine

A GROUP of teenagers subjected a man with learning difficulties to months of “vile” bullying.

James McKenzie and Ashton Fayers initially befriended the vulnerable man who allowed them to enter his home in Chaddesden, in January 2020.

However, over the course of the next four months the pair, and another teenager who cannot be named for legal reasons, made his life a misery by shaving his head and making him drink urine.

They also verbally abused him and poured cold water on him, despite knowing he had several health issues.

A hearing at Derby Crown Court yesterday was told that the offences had left the victim feeling humiliated and suffering from flashbacks, with one incident causing him to have a seizure.

The court heard the incidents, some of which happened during the first Covid lockdown, came to light when the victim, who is in his mid40s, told a friend in April 2020, who called the police.

Ms Slater, prosecuting, said the man has a number of mental health issues, learning difficulties and is a “vulnerable adult” who had been cared for in the community.

“It’s not clear how long this was going on for,” she said. “They were repeatedly having a go at him. They shaved his hair, they put boot polish on him and that burned him and was left all over his living room.

“They initially started to come round, but he told them they weren’t allowed to take drugs.

“There was the incident where he was made to drink urine. He felt sick and violated by that.

“There’s an incident where they threw water over him. That’s very cold water and they all knew he had heart problems, but they didn’t seem to care about that.

“He was concerned about money going missing and items being damaged. He felt they were taking over his flat.”

Ms Slater said the man had been “deliberately targeted” by the group and subsequently bullied.

She said as a result, his depression had worsened, as had his anxiety, and that he suffered from flashbacks, night sweats and had to increase security at his home to feel safe.

“He feels completely humiliated,” she said.

The three boys were McKenzie, who was 17 at the time of the incidents and is now 19, Fayers, who was 16 at the time and is now 18, and a third teenager who was 15 at the time of the offences and is now 17.

The three were later charged with, and pleaded guilty to, harassment.

Justin Ablott, speaking for McKenzie, said his client was under no illusions he could be locked up.

Mr Ablott said: “He knows he behaved badly towards the victim. He is rightly ashamed of his part within it. It was out of character.

“He has had some difficulties at home – he’s had to leave the family home.

“He is in fulltime employment and he’s maintained that employment. He comes to court today knowing his liberty is at stake and is worried about that.”

Kevin Waddingham, speaking for Fayers, said he had accepted his guilt at the earliest opportunity.

Mr Waddingham: “The best he could do is accept responsibility and that he has done – he pleaded guilty.

“The [pre-sentence] report highlights some difficulties in his early life with parental relationships. He was the victim of serious violence himself quite recently.

“He has ADHD (attention deficit hyperactive disorder) and ASD (autism spectrum disorder), these conditions all have impacts on the ability for him to recognise the behaviour for what it was.

“For all his difficulties he has made some positive strides. He’s supported well by the various agencies and he is actively seeking employment. He has been spending some time with his uncle’s work.”

Chris Hallas, mitigating for the 17-year-old, said his client knew he should not have been involved in the actions of the group.

He said: “He didn’t have the common sense or the courage to distance himself from it. The strength of character to do so was not in him.

“There’s still immaturity – he needs to grow up and that will be a slow process. He recognises it was wrong. Custody is a last resort and there is scope for rehabilitation.”

Recorder Nicholas Bacon QC said the three had been involved in “vile” crimes.

“This is quite extraordinary, what went on,” he said. “What happened on these occasions with this extremely vulnerable person is appalling. There isn’t a member of society that would disagree with that.

“The conduct was intended to cause distress, it was persistent and it was motivated by hostility towards a victim who had a disability.

“He said he felt completely humiliated and one has immense sympathy for him.”

He added that the behaviour passed the threshold for custody, but elected not to lock up the trio due to the prospect of rehabilitation.

He said. “In my judgement custody is not the only way of dealing with this case. I take into account your age and lack of maturity, your lack of previous convictions and your pleas of guilty.”

McKenzie, of Staverton Road, Bilborough, Nottingham, was given an 18-month community order, told to undertake 20 days of rehabilitation activity requirement and 200 hours of unpaid work, as well as a curfew of 8pm to 6am for four months.

Fayers, of Winster Road, Chaddesden, was given a youth rehabilitation order with a supervision period of 18 months.

He was also ordered to undertake 100 hours of unpaid work and given a curfew of 8pm to 6am for four months.

The 17-year-old was also given a youth rehabilitation order with a supervision period of 18 months. He was also ordered to undertake 100 hours of unpaid work and given a curfew of 8pm to 6am for four months.

All three defendants were given restraining orders preventing them from contacting the victim indefinitely.

What happened on these occasions with this extremely vulnerable person is appalling.

Recorder Nicholas Bacon