The actions of two gang members who imprisoned, stripped and branded innocent men with a steaming hot iron amounted to gratuitous torture, according to a Kingston Crown Court judge.

James Edwards, 22, of London Road, Croydon, and Rushdi Said, 21, of Peterborough Road, Fulham, were sentenced for their crimes on Friday, May 21.

The pair were part of a group of six or seven ICE gang members involved in an argument on Kingston’s Cambridge Road estate on July 3, 2009.

They approached their victims, Liam Redknapp and Dimitri Vernon, who were walking back from a night out, and demanded their money.

Mr Redknapp and Mr Vernon were released by the gang and headed to a female friend's flat, but were caught out when Mr Redknapp jokingly bragged by an open window that they failed to find the £500 he had on him.

His claims were overheard by the gang who climbed through the window and began a prolonged attack on the men, who were stripped to just their socks and pants.

Judge Nicholas Price said: “It was doubtful he had as much as 50 pence on him.”

The men were told: “You can either be shot, stabbed or ironed,” before being forced on to a bed and being systematically burned with the iron - Mr Redknapp first, as his friend listened helplessly to his screams.

During the trial Mr Vernon, who is from Hounslow, told the court: “I just knew it was going to happen to me next. I clenched my teeth and the iron was hot on my skin. I was grinding my teeth and shouting.”

Both men were too scared to report the crime immediately. Mr Redknapp was so terrified of retribution that he did not seek medical attention.

The court heard that Mr Vernon still suffered flashbacks, which brought on epileptic fits, almost a year after the horrifying episode.

Judge Price said that he was in no doubt that Edwards was the ring leader, responsible for a “deliberate, sustained, sadistic attack”.

He said: “You are, in my view, a very dangerous young man.”

A pre-sentence report revealed Edwards continued to deny the crime, despite being found guilty on Monday, April 12, and said nobody would suffer long-term damage, nobody died and that it was not as serious as stabbing.

Mr Price said: “It makes depressing and worrying reading that a person as young as you should have such entrenched views.

“The consequences of your actions had an appalling and long-lasting effect.

"There’s no doubt in my mind whatsoever that the only appropriate one in your case is one of imprisonment for public protection.”

Edwards, a father of one, committed the crime just two-and-a-half months after being released on licence from a young offenders institute.

He was sentenced to six years on May 27, 2005, when 17 years old, for stabbing a 22-year-old in the back outside Burger King in Kingston.

Friday’s conviction, for GBH with intent to cause malicious or unlawful wounding, and false imprisonment, are on top of 15 previous convictions.

Said was treated with more lenience but lambasted for not pleading guilty during the trial, to “take his chances” on the jury.

Judge Price said: “You did not personally wield that iron, but I do take into account that you helped to hold down one boy while the other was being burnt.

"This was in my view a group attack in that flat and each took some part."

Edwards was handed an indeterminate sentence of 10 years, of which he will have to serve at least half, plus three years for false imprisonment, to run concurrently.

Said received four years and nine months for the GBH charge, and three years for false imprisonment, to run concurrently.

Police were called to stand outside the courtroom because so many of their young friends had come down to show their support - one rushed out to be sick when the sentences were delivered.

Edwards’ mum shouted “I love you James” as he was led away to start his lengthy prison sentence, but was ushered from the court room, with his friends, and threatened with contempt.