In 2019, the Offender Database recorded that Kyle Ashton, then 19, and twins Lucy and Christopher Pyatt-Pierce, then 18, were jailed for the brutal torture of a 15-year-old schoolboy. On Friday, 14 June 2019, the trio appeared at Birmingham Crown Court for sentencing. The court reported that the victim was held captive for six hours at Ashton’s flat in New Moseley Road, Highgate, Birmingham, following a trivial dispute over a spilt drink.
The investigation established that the assault began in the early hours of 29 September 2018. West Midlands Police reported that Ashton flew into a rage after the victim accidentally knocked over a drink. When the boy refused to lick the liquid off the floor, Ashton poured a Pot Noodle over his head, and the violence escalated into a six-hour ordeal. The prosecution reported that the victim was slashed with a knife, had cigarettes stubbed out on his face, was beaten with a curtain pole, and had his genitals burned with a lighter.
Judicial Findings and Investigative Detail
The court reported that Lucy Pyatt-Pierce, of Fordhouse Lane, Stirchley, was the instigator of the attack, goading her co-defendants and filming the abuse on her mobile phone. Christopher Pyatt-Pierce, of Glendower Road, Perry Barr, joined the onslaught by punching the teenager. The prosecution reported that the victim was eventually stripped of his clothes and released at 5 am, where he was found wandering the streets of Highgate wearing only a T-shirt.
The judge noted the “cruel and sustained” nature of the violence. For his leading role, Kyle Ashton, originally from Willowbank Road, Hinckley, was found guilty of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and false imprisonment. The judge noted that the victim initially gave a false account to police due to fear of repercussions, but later courageously identified the flat and his attackers.
Sentences and Statutory Requirements
For their crimes in England, the offenders were handed the following sentences at Birmingham Crown Court:
- Kyle Ashton: Jailed for eight years.
- Lucy Pyatt-Pierce: Jailed for four years.
- Christopher Pyatt-Pierce: Jailed for two years.
- Judicial Oversight: All three were convicted of false imprisonment; the brothers were convicted of wounding (Ashton with intent), and Lucy for wounding with intent.
Monitoring and Public Protection
The three offenders are managed under the supervision of the National Probation Service and West Midlands Police. Due to the “extreme and sadistic” nature of the torture in Birmingham, their management is subject to high-level oversight by local safeguarding and public protection authorities.
Authorities state that the deliberate use of fire and weapons against a minor necessitates strict monitoring of the offenders’ proximity to children and vulnerable people upon their release. Any breach of their licence terms or future criminal conduct will result in immediate arrest and a return to Birmingham Crown Court. The victim’s recovery continues following the treatment of a broken nose and multiple scarring injuries.
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