Disabled Man Waterboarded by Robbers Demanding His Credit Card Details

A disabled man was tortured by a gang of six inside his home for his bank card details, including being subjected to what amounted to waterboarding.

The 65-year-old victim, from West Heath in Birmingham, central England, was targeted at his home on January 5 during a sustained raid lasting several hours.

During the attack, the victim was cut and hit on the head several times with the knife, as well as his arm and back, and threatened with having his genitals removed.

The gang also subjected him to a form of torture known as waterboarding, where the victim has a towel put over his face and water poured over it, making them feel like they are drowning.

Amanda Griffiths, 44, one of those who took part in the robbery but denied torturing the victim, has been jailed for seven and a half years, the Birmingham Mail reported.

Birmingham Crown Court heard how on the morning of January 5, the victim—who suffers from a number of conditions including arthritis of the spine, heart disease and cancer, and requires a wheelchair and mobility scooter—woke up to find someone standing by his bed.

The victim was then told to get up out of bed. When he explained he couldn't, he was dragged by his hair into his living room, where Griffiths and the other members of the gang were waiting wearing masks.

The 65-year-old then had a knife placed to his throat and was told to hand over his bank card.

"One of the males grabbed a towel that he put on the victim's face and then poured water on the towel. He described that it felt like he was drowning," prosecutor Jacinta Stringer told the court.

The gang held a knife to the victim's throat again and told him to give them his card's security number so they could withdraw money from an ATM.

After using the victim's card to withdraw £240 ($332) from an ATM, the gang then suggested the victim ring his bank in order to make a £10,000 transfer.

However, during the call staff at Barclays Bank became suspicious that something was wrong, at which point Griffiths grabbed the phone and demanded to speak to a supervisor.

The victim then pretended to suffer an overdose, resulting in the gang of six calling an ambulance and leaving in a panic.

Stringer said the gang also stole another £300, along with three cell phones and the victim's mobility scooter during the raid.

Upon sentencing, Birmingham Crown Court Recorder J Macadam said the gang had committed a "truly wicked crime."

He said: "He was identified by you as a candidate for robbery and the gang you were associating with. He was dragged into his living room, threatened and effectively tortured to gain access to his bank account.

"Tortured by what can only be described as waterboarding.

"This victim was targeted due to his vulnerability."