Fourth suspect in attic beating charged

HAMILTON, Ontario, Feb. 19 (UPI) -- Police in the Canadian city of Hamilton say they have charged a fourth suspect in the case of a mentally disabled man who was tortured in an area attic.

Police Superintendent Bill Stewart said an unidentified 17-year-old boy has been charged in relation to the attic case along with Stanley Brown, 30, Nathaniel Jug, 22, and Dakota Thompson, 20, The Hamilton Spectator said Thursday.

The three named suspects were all charged Wednesday with forcible confinement, aggravated assault, aggravated sexual assault, threatening death and robbery for allegedly keeping the unidentified 22-year-old mentally disabled man detained for more than three weeks.

Stewart would not offer specifics regarding the alleged torture and sexual abuse the man endured during his attic imprisonment.

"I'm not going to go there at this point," Stewart told the Spectator. "But these were among the most disgusting, degrading acts I've seen in my 32 years of policing."

The man, who was in serious condition Wednesday, was discovered by police in an apartment building's attic while responding to a recent noise complaint.