A sadistic torturer from Thornton Heath who whipped his accountant "like a slave" was jailed for nine years at the Old Bailey last week.

Music producer Denzil Howell, 34, lured Martin Dorman to his basement studio and beat him with a cable until he was unrecognisable.

He mocked the 31-year-old's screams and forced him to mop up his own blood during the horrifying 30-minute ordeal.

Howell, of Pemdevon Road, dealt out the sickening punishment because Mr Dorman, from Brighton, had decided to work for one of his business rivals.

The judge Mr Recorder John Bevan QC said: "Martin Dorman had upset you. You lured him into your studio and whipped him repeatedly around his head with a cable, leaving him with the left side of his head being so swollen his girlfriend couldn't recognise him.

"He wet himself in pain and fear at the prospect of never seeing his baby daughter again.

"You are a cruel, violent and sadistic man and I have no doubt you must have got some pleasure from humiliating your victim. I am satisfied that there is a real danger of your committing further offences of violence that could result in serious harm."

Mr Dorman had been keeping the books for Howell's music enterprise Excom Entertainment but had suspected the producer of dodgy dealings'.

Howell arranged a fake business meeting to lure his victim to the Streatham studio on July 24 last year after learning that Mr Dorman was about to end their professional relationship.

Mr Dorman was led into the basement where the sickening attack was carried out.

Howell forced his victim to write down the addresses of both their parents to prevent him reporting the attack.

He then drove the bleeding accountant home in his own car before stealing the vehicle.

Mr Dorman was so traumatised by the attack he contemplated suicide.

Howell was sentenced to nine years for grievous bodily harm with intent on March 7 and concurrent sentences of five years and two years for false imprisonment and theft respectively.

Sadist with history of violent crime

Denzil Howell had a long history of violence with convictions for assaults, stabbing, kidnapping and theft before his horrific attack on Martin Dorman.

Jurors at last week's trial heard how his obsession with violence dates back to his teenage years.

He was jailed for five years in 1993 when he beat a woman with a hammer in her own home after she reported his inappropriate sexual advances towards her.

He then kidnapped the woman and her female friend, who he had also attacked, and took the pair on a terrifying car journey around south London.

In 1986, when he was just 16, Howell served nine months when he stabbed another youth. Two years later he was jailed for five years after attacking a bedsit tenant and stealing his stereo.