TAIPEI - FIVE youngsters have been indicted for imprisoning a
teenage girl and sexually torturing her in one of Taiwan's worst
youth bullying cases, prosecutors said on Wednesday.
The suspects, aged between 19 and 21 years old, were charged
with locking up the 19-year-old for five days in October during
which they sexually assaulted her with a ladle and other objects,
according to the indictment papers.
Three youths under the age of 18 are also suspected in the case,
and will face a separate hearing in a juvenile court. The group is
accused of abusing the girl in other ways including beating her,
puncturing her mouth with needles, burning her with cigarette
butts, applying salt on her wounds and forcing her to lick her own
blood.
The girl eventually managed to escape while her watchman was out
and was discovered by a neighbour who took her home, prosecutors
said.
'The accused have shown no remorse for their crimes. Their
methods were ruthless and inhumane and they inflicted severe
physical and emotional damage on the victim,' the indictment
said.
Prosecutors sought 12 years in prison for the five suspects, who
claimed that they just wanted to teach a lesson to the girl who was
'sharp-tongued' and often caused quarrels among her friends,
prosecutors said.
-- AFP