Jail for pair who burned man’s genitals with ‘flamethrower’

Two Ballymena men who burned another man’s genitals using a makeshift ‘flame-thrower’ have been given three year sentences.
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Alan David McCroary (26), formerly of Clonavon Road, and William Mark Redmond (27), formerly of Crebilly Road, pleaded guilty to a charge of inflicting grievous bodily harm on Mark McPeake, when they appeared at Antrim Crown Court.

Both men, who now reside at an address at Beersbridge Road, Belfast, had pleaded not guilty to the more serious charge of inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent on Mr McPeake, on a date between December 29, 2013 and January 1, 2014.

Previous court hearings were told that the incident had arisen between “drinking buddies” during which Mr McPeake had passed out due to his level of intoxication.

McCroary and Redmond then lit an aerosol and sprayed it on the victim’s groin area and buttocks.

Mr McPeake suffered nine per cent burns in the incident, during which his genitals were “fused to his thigh”, a previous court had been told.

Defence counsel for the Redmond and McCroary had made the case that there had been no intent on the part of the defendants, describing the incident as “a prank gone wrong”.

McCroary and Redmond were sentenced to serve one year and four months in custody, followed by a year and eight months on licence.