A TEENAGER who carried out a terrifying and degrading attack on a man during a youth trip has been given a life sentence.

Simon Mayor's victim was punched, burned and forced to drink urine while held prisoner over a four-hour period, Preston Crown Court was told.

And two other young men were also caged for what the judge described as a "vicious and merciless" attack.

Mayor, 19, of Kelsall Avenue, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to grievous bodily harm with intent and false imprisonment. The life term was mandatory because he had a previous conviction for a knife attack.

Stephen Harrison, 17, of Whitehead Street, Blackburn, was sentenced to three and a half years detention and David Bufton, 20, of William Street, Blackburn, was sentenced to three years youth custody. Both had pleaded guilty to assaulting causing actual bodily harm and false imprisonment.

The court heard that the victim, Mark Pilling, 22, was on a trip from Blackburn to a lakeside YMCA at Newby Bridge in February.

Jeremy Grout-Smith, prosecuting at Preston Crown Court, said the three defendants falsely imprisoned him for about four hours. During that time he was subjected to physical assaults, threats, forced to drink urine and suffered second degree burns after Mayor used an aerosol can as a flame thrower.

The court was told that Mayor began picking on Mr Pilling for no reason as they left a cinema and later the three men entered his room and began to take it in turns punching him while the other two held him. At this stage he suffered burns both shins and to his right foot.

He was later taken to another chalet where shampoo, shower gel and talc were rubbed over his head and he was urinated on. All three then made him drink urine from a bottle. He was sick but was forced to finish the contents before Mayor hit him with the empty bottle.

Mr Pilling was threatened that more of the same would occur if he told anyone of his ordeal.

The court was told that Mayor and Bufton later boasted about the incident while on remand.

Miss Clare Thomas, defending Mayor, said he could not remember what had happened because he had taken heroin and vodka at the time. She said he had not boasted about events but had talked about what happened after reading the evidence in the case.

"It was an appalling incident and he fully recognises that," said Miss Thomas. "He deeply regrets the suffering Mr Pilling has gone through."

Arthur Stuttard, defending Harrison, said it had been a disgraceful incident and he expressed his remorse.