Man tied up, tortured and had teeth pulled out with a door hinge ‘like a Tarantino film scene’

Two men tied up and tortured a naked man over drugs in a 12-hour ordeal in scenes 'like something out of a Tarantino horror film', a court heard today. Wayne Butler pulled out four of the victim's teeth with a door hinge and carved his then girlfriend's name Molly on his forehead with a knife. Both Butler and his co-accused Stephen Dixon threw darts at the victim and kicked him in a flat last summer.

They demanded money, sending "horror" photos to the victim's brother, and police were called. The victim believed he would have been killed if officers hadn't discovered him or be found "dead in a river" if he revealed who tortured him, Mold[1] Crown Court heard. Wayne Anthony Butler, 37, of Plas Y Wern, Ruabon and Dixon, 51, of Great Oak Street, Llanidloes, admitted causing grievous bodily harm with intent and false imprisonment in the incident in Llanidloes on July 17.

A judge at Mold Crown Court said it was sadistic and jailed them for ten and a half years, and six years, respectively, for the GBH offence.

Prosecutor John Wyn Williams said they were in a flat in the quiet town "when the peace was shattered by an incident like something out of a Tarantino horror film." Butler found the victim Matthew "Jimmy" Williams stood over Butler's girlfriend Molly, who had overdosed on drugs, in the bathroom at about 3.30am. Butler blamed Mr Williams for the overdose and for possibly taking advantage of the woman.

Butler stormed into the nearby flat that Mr Williams shared with Dixon "in a rage". The court heard Butler punched Mr Williams and carved the name Molly onto his forehead. Dixon spat household ammonia in Williams' face.

Butler then held a plastic bag over Mr Williams' head and tried to suffocate him before both defendants threw darts at their victim.

Butler took a door hinge and used it to pull out four teeth - two upper and two lower - then tried to choke him with that metal bar. During the ordeal he was stripped and Dixon went away and came back with bandages and Mr Williams was tied up with them, said the prosecutor. At one stage, Dixon tried to get Butler off Mr Williams.

But Butler told him "Do you want to turn into him?" North Wales Live has launched a WhatsApp community group where you can get the latest stories delivered straight to your phone[4] The accomplices demanded GBP400 and contacted Mr Williams' mother Glenys who is in her seventies, and sent "horror" photos of Mr Williams to his brother Gary demanding the money be transferred.

Later Butler threatened to kneecap Mr Williams and Dixon threatened to smash a brandy bottle on Williams. A sock was stuffed in his mouth to stop him "shouting or screaming", said the prosecutor. But a passing police car made the men untie Mr Williams and officers then found him naked and injured in the flats.

At first Mr Williams said he would be found "dead in a river" if he revealed who had imprisoned him but he later confirmed it was the defendants.

In a victim statement he said he has nightmares and can't eat hard food or bite apples and pears. Glenys is upset and worried for her son and Gary remains scared. He also said the photos looked like "something from a horror film".

Oliver King, defending Butler, said his client is remorseful. The injuries were "not permanent or irreversible" as he will probably use any compensation to get new teeth at the dentist, he added. He said Butler has ADHD and psychosis, depression and anxiety.

Butler, one of 16 children, also has PTSD. He lost a sister after a heroin overdose and she was put into a coma for two years. Myles Wilson, defending Dixon, said his client's culpability was less than that of Butler.

Dixon had worked for a utility company in the West Midlands for 18 years but relocated to Wales and befriended Butler. The judge His Honour Rhys Rowlands told the defendants they used sadistic violence against a vulnerable victim and shown "unbelievable cruelty". They had humiliated and kept him against his will for 12 hours.

Butler is a "dangerous offender" and must serve at least two third of his ten and a half year custodial sentence. He was given an extended period of four and a half years under supervision after that. There was no separate penalty for either defendant for the false imprisonment as it was reflected in the main sentence.

Both men were handed indefinite restraining orders prohibiting them from contacting their victim.

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References

1. ^ Mold (www.dailypost.co.uk)
2. ^ Sad state of popular Dee Valley attraction overrun by visitors (www.dailypost.co.uk)
3. ^ Four teenagers drowned when car crashed off road in Eryri (www.dailypost.co.uk)
4. ^ WhatsApp community group where you can get the latest stories delivered straight to your phone (www.dailypost.co.uk)