TWO brothers laughed as they stripped a man naked, beat him and bound him hand and foot with sticky tape before raping him, a court heard.

Stuart Whitehead and Sean Bailey even took photographs of their victim with Bailey’s mobile phone, a jury at Bolton Crown Court was told.

Whitehead, aged 23 and Bailey, aged 18, both of Cromwell Grove, Manchester, have both pleaded guilty to assault and false imprisonment but deny rape.

Geoff Whelan, prosecuting, told the court how, on October 18, 2010, Whitehead invited his 32-year-old victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, to his flat in Heaton for a drink.

“Within minutes of entering the flat his ordeal began,” said Mr Whelan, who said Whitehead punched the man in the face, accusing him of making disrespectful comments about his brother. The two attackers went on to punch and kick their victim, sometimes taking a break from torturing him to have a drink or smoke cannabis and laughing.

Then their victim was raped, the court heard.

Mr Whelan said although Whitehead may have carried out the act, both brothers could be accused of the offence because Bailey helped and encouraged him to carry it out. Both defendants denied there had been any sexual contact with the victim.

The case continues.