A child-like man nicknamed 'The Clown' by his own family was subjected to a campaign of violence and cruelty by relatives who regarded him as a financial burden, a court was told today.In one of many painful and humiliating punishments Ghalib Hussain, 27, of Accrington, Lancashire, had one end of a pair of jump leads clamped onto his nose and was hit with the other end because he cannot read and write, Burnley Crown Court heard.
On other occasions Mr Hussain was punched in the face when he failed to learn Arabic text and was also warned he would be buried alive in a cemetery and have his tongue ripped out.
He was also whipped with a belt and a stick by those who should have cared for him, it is alleged.
At Burnley Crown Court, his uncle Nek Alam, 72, and Alam’s sons Janghir Alam, 29, Zahir Alam, 33, and Zahoor Alam, 32, went on trial accused of false imprisonment, making threats to kill and causing grievous bodily harm.
The jury was told he also had to kiss the feet of his uncle and was not allowed to eat until he was told to.
Finally he was rescued by police who found him huddled on a settee at his home unable to stand due to a broken right hip, said to be inflicted when he was forced to the ground and jumped on. Read More
