A Leiston man was tortured by a man who locked him in his home and threw boiling water from a kettle over him, a court has heard.

Sam Prior was so desperate to get away from his attacker that he smashed a window with a hammer and cut his hands on broken glass as he jumped out, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

He was taken to hospital where he was treated for burns to his neck and leg and cuts to his hands, said Lynne Shirley, prosecuting.

Mr Prior was at his home in Valley Road on February 23 when Scott Abbott walked in uninvited through the front door and accused him of taking his iPhone.

Abbott locked the door behind him and removed the key before picking up Mr Prior’s Nokia phone and ringing contacts on his phone to tell them that Mr Prior was not going anywhere until he had got his phone back.

Abbott then went into the kitchen and boiled a kettle of water which he threw at Mr Prior who was standing two or three feet away.

The boiling water landed on Mr Prior’s leg causing immediate pain and resulted in the skin peeling off and blistering.

“Scott Abbott was laughing and asking where his telephone was,” said Miss Shirley.

Abbott then boiled another kettle of water and threw it at Mr Prior’s neck and thigh.

During the incident, Mr Prior repeatedly told Abbott he did not know where his phone was and pleaded with him to stop hurting him.

Mr Prior later told police: “He was torturing me for something he only suspected me of doing.”

Abbott had then re-filled the kettle and asked Mr Prior if had any chemicals or sugar.

The incident came to an end when Mr Prior used a hammer to smash a window and jumped out and ran to his aunt’s house barefoot and wearing his pyjamas.

Abbott, 28, of Valley Gardens, Leiston, admitted false imprisonment and assault causing actual bodily harm and was jailed for 18 months with ten weeks to run consecutively for breaching a suspended sentence.

He was also banned from contacting Mr Prior indefinitely.

Sentencing him, Recorder Ian Evans said it was “merciful” that Mr Prior’s injuries were not more serious.

Nicola May, for Abbott, said he had been in custody since March and was keen to be a good father to his daughter in the future.