Three men were jailed for a total of 37 and half years for the torture and kidnap of a Norwich man and carrying out a robbery over a drugs debt.

The victim was beaten up, tortured, and falsely imprisoned at a Norwich property in Derby Street and then kidnapped after he gave away a drugs package and spent much of the proceeds on getting drunk in a Prince of Wales nightclub, a court heard.

The victim was recruited by a London based gang to do some drug dealing for them and Thor Guichard-Joseph and Lee Shillingford-Coghiel were appointed to keep an eye on him.

But Norwich Crown Court heard how the 20 year-old victim, who was 19 at the time of the offences, was subjected to a vicious assault as punishment after he gave away the drugs package and spent most of the £250 cash he was holding for the gang on getting drunk at a city nightclub.

During a trial, the court heard how the victim was beaten with a belt and bar, punched , put in a cold bath and burnt with a cigarette lighter.

The gang also went to an address, off Ber Street, where they thought the person who had taken the drugs package was staying, and enlisted the help of Leon Lewis, 33, as back-up. Ian James, prosecuting, said after getting the victim to buzz his way into the flat the three men along with two others took a number of items including a TV.

The victim was then taken to London in a car where he was supposed to deal drugs but was taken back to Norwich as it was decided he would attract attention if he went dealing on the street, such were the extent of his injuries.

Guichard-Joseph, 22, of Sutton Road, London, Shillingford-Coghiel, 21, of Springfield Avenue, London, were convicted of kidnap, false imprisonment and robbery following a 10-week trial.

Guichard-Joseph and Shillingford-Coghiel were also found guilty of being concerned in the supply of Class A and both were jailed for 14 years with Guichard-Joseph being given an extended licence on his release of four years.

Lewis, of Nutwood Close, Taverham, was found guilty of robbery and was jailed for nine and half years. He was acquitted of false imprisonment charges.

Jailing them, Judge Katharine Moore said it had been a terrifying ordeal for the victim who was repeatedly beaten and tortured and had been held against his will for more than 48 hours. She said the victim had 'feared for his life.'

She said the robbery had also been a terrifying experience for the three victims in the flat at the time.

Ronald Bostwick, for Shillingford-Coghiel, said he was a immature young man, who was easily led..

Eiran Reilly, for Guichard-Joseph said he also was immature for his age and came from a loving family background.

'He is not a danger to the public at large.'

John Farmer, for Lewis, said he was not involved in any actual violence and was only involved in the robbery.

'This was completely out of character.'

At one point during the hearing the court had to be cleared because of the high emotion felt by family members of the defendants, However Judge Moore later came back into court to finish the sentencing.

After the case Det Con Craig Leeder said: it had been a complex case and said: 'It is therefore satisfying to see these men put behind bars where they belong and where they can no longer commit crime on the streets of Norwich. I am confident we've disrupted a sophisticated and extensive drug supply chain.'