Two teenagers put a 13-year-old girl through a six-hour torture session two days before she was due to give a statement against one of them, York Crown Court heard today.

The victim was said to have endured a "living nightmare" in which the two girls held her in a North Yorkshire house and:

* Used cigarette ends on her

* Pinned her down and assaulted her

* Smeared hair-removing cream on her, removing a patch of hair 20cm by 13cm

* Blocked her way when she tried to leave the house.

Judge Paul Hoffman was told the victim was still suffering mentally from the ordeal in which she received 24 injuries including burn marks, and bruises on her face, arms and legs. He lifted reporting restrictions so the media could name former Selby girl Natalie Ingerson, 15, and Zoe Sanderson, 16, formerly of Riverside Road, Malton, both of whom pleaded guilty to false imprisonment, causing actual bodily harm, and witness intimidation.

Ordering Ingerson to serve four years in custody and Sanderson three, Judge Hoffman told the pair: "You two young women, for that is what you are, have subjected a young and vulnerable girl to a catalogue of sustained sadistic and degrading treatment over many hours.

"The report upon you used words such as torture, appalling, harrowing, ordeal, and all of those words are entirely appropriate to what you have done, and the effect upon the victim has been profound, particularly in terms of emotional and psychological damage."

He heard that Sanderson had turned Queen's Evidence against the younger girl, whom she appeared to have hero-worshipped. Geraldine Kelly, prosecuting, said the victim of the assault had been the witness to Ingerson stealing items from a hotel and was due to make a statement about it when she was taken to a house in Tindall Street, Scarborough, at about 2pm on September 9.

Although the atmosphere started friendly, it changed and they started assaulting the 13-year-old. Only when a neighbour saw what was happening and intervened, was the distressed victim able to escape. She was at the house until after 8pm.

Ingerson has a series of convictions for violence and public order offences and Sanderson has one conviction for common assault. Both girls have been in secure children's homes since their arrest last September.

Ingerson's barrister, Nigel Wray, said since she was arrested she was part of a group at a secure unit alleged to have assaulted staff members there. She had since been moved to a secure unit elsewhere, where she was making some progress.

Mr Wray said when the girls took the 13-year-old to the house they did not intend to intimidate her. Two adults had been present and had never sought to protect the 13-year-old and this gave a degree of "tacit encouragement to the pair".

For Sanderson, John Thackray said she knew she had behaved disgracefully and was trying to make amends. She herself had been bullied in the past.

Updated: 17:59 Wednesday, February 14, 2001