A TEENAGER "tortured" two boys and threatened to kill them with a butcher's cleaver while holding them captive in his bedroom, a court has heard.

The victims, aged 11 and 14 at the time, were subjected to an ordeal after climbing into the boys bedroom to retrieve pocket money he had stolen from them, Hyndburn magistrates were told.

But the court was told that during their ordeal they were:

Ordered to kneel on the metal frame of a bed and told that they would be killed

Told they would have their tongues cut out and arms and legs chopped off

Had a vacuum cleaner put on their genitals and switched on

Hit with knuckle dusters

Locked in the boot of a car when they tried to escape

Had their heads shaved

However, a defence solicitor told the court that teenager, who was aged 15, 6ft and 13 stone at the time of the offence, was just indulging in laddish pranks with the younger boys.

The accused, who is now 16, has pleaded guilty to two charges of false imprisonment. The case was originally heard at Preston Crown Court but deferred back for a Newton hearing so magistrates could decide the facts of the case before he is sentenced.

All three boys are from Blackburn but the alleged torturer is currently living with his mother in Darwen as part of his bail conditions.

The court heard that the incident, in Blackburn last May, began after the younger boys handed over money for sweets but the accused ran away with it.

One of the alleged victims said he and his friend chased the older boy after he ran back to his house. He said they then climbed through his bedroom window to try to get the money because the front door was padlocked shut.

He claimed that while in the bedroom he and his friend were ordered to kneel on the metal frame of a bed and told that they would be killed if they did not do as they were told. They were also forced to have their heads shaved, he said.

In a video interview with police the 11-year-old said the defendant had been drinking vodka and lager on the night in question.

He said: "My friend wanted his money so he started climbing. I climbed after him in case he fell and he dragged us in and started torturing us with knuckle dusters and a machete.

"He started being stupid telling us to kneel on the bed and said 'If you don't kneel I'm going to kill you. Chop your tongue out and chop your arms off and your legs off.'

"Sometimes he jokes but this time I knew he wasn't joking so I just did it."

Later he said he and his friend were forced to put the Hoover on their private parts while it was switched on. "He told me to do it or he would kill me, so I did it."

Paul Schofield, defending, said the three youths and a friend of the older boy had joined in a laddish prank. He added: "You were showing off, having a laugh, you had been drinking. Weren't you doing it because you were joining in the fun everyone was having?"

The boy replied: "It was no fun. That was no fun."

The accused denied forcing the boys to put the Hoover on their genitals and get into the boot of the car. He also denied smoking cannabis but said the two younger boys had.

"I'm sorry for whatever has gone wrong. I thought it was a joke.

"I thought they were joking and now I know they are not," he said.

Louise Waites, prosecuting, told the older boy he had been trying to prove himself.

"What actually happened was the two boys came into the house and were subjected to you having control over them by making them do awful things or doing awful things to them," she said.

The case was adjourned to fix a date for summing up and the magistrates' deliberations.

(Proceeding)