Boiling water poured over man's genitals

A woman who tortured a man by dripping boiling water on his genitals during a robbery was detained indefinitely under the Mental Health Act today.

Police said drug addict Anne Marie Wall "displayed a shocking level of cruelty in systematically torturing a defenceless victim".

A judge at Leeds Crown Court heard that Wall, 30, splashed water from a freshly-boiled kettle on to 61-year-old Trevor Marsden's testicles and groin during an attack at his home in Leeds in July last year.

Her accomplice, Steven Khan, punched, kicked and stood on Mr Marsden during the attack as they demanded his cash card.

The pair took Mr Marsden's card from his trousers, despite him repeatedly telling them he only had £4 in his bank account, the court heard.

Khan tied Mr Marsden's hands and legs with a telephone wire and shoved him in a cupboard as they went to the cash machine to try to withdraw money.

When they discovered their victim only had £3.54 in his account, they returned to his first-floor flat, apologised, gave him his cash card and danced to music for a short while as he watched.

Leeds Crown Court has heard that Mr Marsden suffered 4% burns to his scrotum, upper thigh and fingers on both hands and had to be treated at hospital.

Khan, 41, and Wall, both of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to one count of robbery last year.

Khan, who was also a drug addict, was jailed for 11 years by a judge in October last year, who said the offence "would send shivers down the spines of people who live by themselves and are older people".

Today a different judge, Judge John Taylor, made a Hospital Order meaning Wall would be detained indefinitely under the Mental Health Act.

After the hearing, Detective Inspector Neil Beattie said: "Wall displayed a shocking level of cruelty in systematically torturing a defenceless victim with boiling water, leaving him scarred for life.

"Her and Steven Khan's sole aim was to get money to feed their addictions to Class A drugs and they showed a complete disregard for the pain they inflicted on their victim and the terrifying and prolonged ordeal they put him through."