A man has been convicted for false imprisonment after a schoolgirl was kidnapped, sexually abused and tortured at a flat. 

David Appiah, 21, of New Road, Chingford, was unanimously found guilty of false imprisonment and causing a child to engage in sexual activity at St Albans Crown Court on Thursday (March 19).

The 14-year-old girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was filmed as she was subjected to "acts of degradation" after being approached by Caylen Candy, 18, and Chyanne Powell, 18, on her way to school near Theobolds Grove Station in Waltham Cross on September 14. 

Both Candy and Powell, who had spent the night drinking, did not know the schoolgirl when they approached her and asked for money. They did not believe her when she said she had no money. 

Moments before targeting her, they tried to rob another 14-year-old girl as she walked past Cedars Park, but she managed to run away and get into a passing car.

Candy, of Leabank Square, Hackney, and Powell of High Street, Waltham Cross, took the girl to Powell's flat where she was forced to strip and masturbate, bits of her hair were chopped off, a knife was held to her throat and she was made to shave off her pubic hair. 

The girl was forced to sit in a freezing cold bath and had her head pushed under water for 10 seconds on three separate occasions. Her body was written over and salt poured down her throat. 

Appiah, a friend of Powell's, arrived at the flat after being sent images of the girl in her bra. They also sent films to Sanjay Kalia, 18, of Macoma Road, Plumstead who encouraged them to do other things to the victim. 

Appiah went to the flat that afternoon and was shown photos of the girl naked. He instructed Powell to tell her to take her clothes off again so he could see her naked.

Prosecutor Michael Speak, said: "For almost a full day this young girl was subjected to acts of degradation and violence you will find hard to comprehend.  

"It began like a street robbery, with Candy and Powell trying to rob her of what she had."

"They said 'why don't you get undressed?' They asked about her bra size and forced her to take off her clothes after they pointed the knife at her throat. 

"They began to film the proceedings. They forced her to shave her pubic region and made fun of her saying 'You are disgusting'". 

Asked why they were doing it, the told the court, "It is just a bit of fun."

Appiah told the jury of 10 women and two men that he thought the victim was the same age as his friend Chyanne Powell. 

He said: "She (Powell) sent me a picture of a girl in a bra with writing on her forehead. I didn't think anything of the photo - she was joking around. I thought she was Chyanne's age because she told me it was her friend."

He said that he went to the flat and was introduced by Chyanne to the others girls as her friends. Mr Appiah told the jury the girl looked "ok" and was sitting down watching television.

Asked why he had sent Powell a Blackberry message saying: "make her strip please. I am bored," he replied: "I thought they were messing about."

Adding: "I thought she had a choice. I didn't know she was kidnapped or held against her will. If she was kidnapped I would have expected her to be tied up or threatened. I didn't see any of that."

He described the girl as "the worm" and said he did not want to "f... her." 

In another message, he said: "Or make her do press ups. You are her boss."

Mr Speak told the court "Appiah must have known what was going on was terribly, terribly, terribly wrong. It was a sickening conversation taking place covertly while the girl was standing there."

Candy, Powell and Kalia pleaded guilty on March 10. 

Judge Stephen Warner has remanded Appiah in custody until the sentencing of all defendants on May 1 at St Albans Crown Court.