A kidnap victim was taken to a makeshift torture chamber, tied to a chair and attacked with razor blades, darts, a screwdriver and a blowtorch.



Samuel Smyth, 20, suffered burns, cuts, puncture wounds and whip marks during the attack, described by police as "prolonged and calculated".



He managed to escape and was found wandering, badly hurt, by a member of the public.



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



Lower Hutt District Court was told yesterday that Thompson was driving with a friend in Wainuiomata at 10.30pm on May 22 when he saw Mr Smyth walking along the road. Thompson believed Mr Smyth was responsible for burgling his house.



The two men got out of the car and punched Mr Smyth. They drove him to a house, where he was kicked and punched in the body and face, before being locked up for the night.



The next morning he was driven to Thompson's house in Frederick St. A makeshift torture chamber had been set up in a sleepout at the back of the property, the court was told.



A chair was placed on top of a tarpaulin, and there was a table next to the chair. On it were weapons including razor blades, screwdrivers, hammers, vice grips, a blowtorch and darts.



Thompson told the victim to take off his clothes and sit in the chair. He was blindfolded, a tea- towel placed in his mouth, and his feet tied together with a telephone cord. His hands were tied behind his back with a rope, which was looped around his neck.



Thompson and another man then began using razor blades, screwdrivers and darts to cut into Mr Smyth's arms, back and head. His skin was burnt with a blowtorch. He suffered injuries to much of his body, and after fleeing was taken to Hutt Hospital.



At the time, Detective Senior Sergeant Paul Borrell, of Lower Hutt, described the attack as prolonged and calculated.



"This man is extremely lucky to have escaped from what appears to be a premeditated and deliberate attack on him."



After his arrest, Thompson told police he flew into an "uncontrollable rage" when he saw Mr Smyth on the road, because he believed he had burgled his house.



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.

DANIEL RUTTER: Remanded in custody.