An Auckland man was kidnapped, tied to a chair and tortured for hours. Photo / 123RF stock image
An Auckland man was kidnapped and tortured for hours - his pinky finger cut off with secateurs, both feet shot and his naked body burned with a blowtorch while he was tied up and gagged.
His attackers believed he had robbed another person of "thousands of dollars" and tried various forms of physical torture - including burning his eyes with cigarettes, urinating on him and beating him - over a two hour period to get him to tell them where the stolen money was.
Following the brutal attack last November five men were arrested and charged.
Two of them - Henry Enoka Kea and Liam Hourigan - have pleaded guilty to a raft of charges and will be sentenced next month.
Kea and Hourigan each face up to 14 years in prison for kidnapping, aggravated robbery, unlawful possession of a pistol, wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, threatening to kill, assault with a blunt weapon and injuring with intent to injure.
The pair initially denied the offending but changed their plea at a hearing in the High Court at Auckland last month.
Details of the case can now be revealed after Justice Sally Fitzgerald granted the Herald access to the court file.
The victim's name has been suppressed.
The Crown Summary of Facts outlines Kea and Hourigan's offending.
Two other men allegedly involved reject the Crown's version of events and will defend their position at trial.
On November 20, Hourigan went to a store in West Auckland and purchased a length of red rope and latex rubber gloves.
That night he contacted the victim on via social media and asked to meet him at a New Lynn address.
The victim arrived and Hourigan greeted him and invited him into the house.
Kea and the other alleged offenders were waiting inside.
The victim was physically restrained and held on the ground.
He was overpowered by his attackers and his clothing was removed.
His phone, car keys and wallet - containing $500 in cash - were stolen.
Hourigan fetched a "cut down .22 calibre rifle" fitted with a silencer sound suppressor and pointed it at the victim before he pressed the muzzle to the back of his head.
The firearm, due to its modification, was classified as a pistol under the Arms Act 1983.
None of the offenders or alleged offenders hold a firearms licence.
The victim was hogtied and a T-shirt was shoved into his mouth and tied in place.
He was then punched and kicked repeatedly.
"The punching and kicking caused [the victim's] eyes to become extremely swollen, thus restricting his vision," the Summary of Facts stated.
"[He] lay defenceless on the ground for approximately two hours whilst the attack continued."
The victim was also urinated on as he was repeatedly told to "face the ground".
Hourigan accused the victim of robbing another person and owing thousands of dollars.
He ordered the victim to tell him where the money was - threatening him with more physical abuse if he refused.
"Mr Hourigan threatened to burn [the victim] alive and further threatened to removed [his] penis," the summary outlined.
"During this assault [the victim] sustained bruising and swelling about the head and body as well as a laceration above his eye."
The victim was then carried to his own car, pushed into the back footwell and driven to a property at Whenuapai - the attackers punching and kicking him as they travelled.
During the trip Hourigan told the injured man he was "f**ked" and that he was going to hurt him more.
At Whenuapai the victim was dragged from the car and into a building where he was tied to a chair, his mouth still gagged.
An unknown liquid solution was sprayed into his eyes and he was shot through his right foot with the pistol.
He was asked repeatedly where the "stolen" money was and told the attackers he had no idea.
"Mr Hourigan uplifted a gas-fuelled blow torch and approached [the victim]," the summary revealed.
"Mr Hourigan ignited the blow torch and began to burn [the victim's] bare skin.
"Mr Hourigan applied the flame directly against [the victim's] right hand, right arm, back, chest, feet, legs and stomach causing [him] severe pain."
Over the next few hours Hourigan used a metal object to hit the victim around the head.
The victim was also shot through his left foot.
Hourigan then attempted to cut the victim's little finger off his left hand using scissors.
He was unsuccessful and discussed with the others different methods of removing the finger.
The summary states that one of the group left the address and returned soon after with a pair of secateurs.
"Mr Hourigan took the secateurs and held [the victim's] left pinky finger… [then] cut cleanly through [the victim's] finger causing permanent amputation," the document explained.
"[The victim] genuinely believed the offenders were going to kill him."
The victim was beaten around the head and body repeatedly over the next few hours and told he was going to be burned alive.
Lit cigarettes were used to burn his eyelids and shoulder.
"In the early hours of 22 November 2019 [the victim] heard the sounds of sirens nearby to his location," the summary stated.
"The offenders began to clean the area and untied [him]."
The seriously injured man was then carried back to his car where he was retied and his eye were taped shut.
He was shoved in the back and the child locks were applied to the rear doors to stop him getting out.
The group then spent time washing the car using a hose.
Hourigan eventually drove the victim away from Whenuapai, stopping after about 30 minutes.
Another person then got into the driver's seat and started to transport the victim further.
"[The victim] managed to free his hands and climbed into the front of the vehicle," said the summary.
"[he] pushed at [the driver's] face causing the driver to brake heavily on Fruitvale Road, New Lynn and bring the vehicle to a halt.
"[The victim] exited the vehicle on Fruitvale Road and ran towards traffic.. [he was] located by a concerned member of the public and transported for medical treatment."
As a result of the kidnapping and subsequent assault the victim received medical treatment and surgery for concussion; open flame burns to his hand, arm, back, feet and chest; gunshot wounds to both feet and his amputated finger.
When arrested Hourigan and Kea declined to comment to police.
Both have appeared before the court in the past.