A man who carried out a “horrific” homophobic attack with a machete and knuckleduster alongside a teenage boy has been jailed for almost a decade.

Lee Norwell, 42, of no fixed address, made homophobic remarks towards his 45-year-old victim on August 6 last year before launching into an attack alongside his 17-year-old accomplice.

The victim had gone to buy drugs in Stanground in Peterborough in the early hours of the morning when Norwell began hurling the abuse.

He and the teenager made demands for the victim’s money, phone, and wallet.

After the man hesitated, Norwell began punching him to the head and ordered him to remove his clothes.

Norwell then dragged the half-naked man to another room and tried to set fire to his hair while the teenager threatened him, shouting at him to give him his PIN.

He then took a machete from his trousers and held it against the man’s throat.

He punched him to the face several times while wearing a knuckleduster, fracturing the man’s skull, causing it to cave in.

After about 20 minutes, the pair stopped the attack but were heard to talk about stabbing him, cutting his fingers off and setting him on fire.

The man managed to escape and flag down a member of the public who called an ambulance.

The pair were found guilty of robbery and assault causing grievous bodily harm (GBH) with intent, following a trial at Cambridge Crown Court in May this year.

They appeared at the same court on August 3 where Norwell was sentenced to nine years in prison.

The teenager was jailed for four years.

Detective constable Matt Slater, who investigated, said: “This was a horrific attack on a vulnerable man, motivated in part by homophobic behaviour from Norwell.

“I hope the sentences provide the victim some reassurance that this behaviour will not be tolerated and is taken seriously by not only ourselves but also the courts.”