[Z]

An ice cream seller has been jailed for six-and-a-half years for imprisoning a man with learning difficulties and treating him "like a slave".

David Rooke, 44, also pleaded guilty to regular violent assaults on Craig Kinsella, 34, who he forced to live in his garage in Sheffield.

Rooke's son Jamie, 19, pleaded guilty to affray and assault and was sentenced to four-and-a-half years in prison.

Rooke's wife Donna, 40, was jailed for four months for battery.

Police had been called to the property in Halifax Road, Grenoside, Sheffield, following a fight with a neighbour last July.

An officer noticed Mr Kinsella's injuries and he was taken to hospital.

David Brooke, prosecuting, said: "He (Mr Kinsella) went on to explain that he'd been living in the garage and that he'd slept on a piece of carpet and used an old curtain as a blanket.

"He wasn't paid by the family nor fed regularly and he regularly picked food from the wheelie bin to eat. He was obviously emaciated."

Mr Brooke said Mr Kinsella had been living in the garage for about six weeks and had also been subjected to violence and intimidation.

He had been attacked with a range of weapons including pickaxe handles, spade handles and a crowbar.

"He became what he called a slave, working from 7.30 in the morning to 11 or 12 at night," he added.

Det Insp Vicky Short, of South Yorkshire Police, said: "David, Donna and Jamie Rooke abused Mr Kinsella for their own pleasure until his spirit and will to stand up for himself and fight back was crushed.

"It has hard to understand how any human being could treat an individual in such a grotesque, callous and inhuman manner."

Jailing the family, Judge Peter Kelson QC said it was "staggering" this could happen in modern society.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england...shire-25642431

[Nedusa]

Just saw this on the news.... Words fail me , this poor guy is held prisoner by these thugs and has the crap kicked out of him by all members of this family..

Hard to watch really , quite stomach churning to see this man abused so completely. As the Detective heading up the case said if they hadn't seen the CCTV clips and arrested this family they would be investigating a murder by now.

How can people treat people like this ??

What is going on in our Society... ???

[Z]

I was appalled when I saw it on the news Nedusa, couldn't believe my eyes! And in full view of a CCTV camera! Shocking that this goes on nowadays, glad to see they're going to bring in up to date legislation dealing with slavery and human trafficking

[GypsyGoth]

I think that family are evil.

[Kizzy]

I do too, it really does rock your faith in humanity. One person doing this is bad, a whole family? Really hope the guy gets moved away and supported.

[Z]

I wonder how he knows the family and how they managed to imprison him for that long without anybody who knows the victim noticing he was gone???

[arista]

Yes Evil.

[Alf]

Set of bastards