A Catholic teenager was tied to a wooden cross and hung from a wall in a “sustained course of victimisation and bullying” by work colleagues, a court has heard.

The boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, also had religious and phallic symbols drawn on his face and body with permanent marker, York Crown Court was told.

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Four men, including one from Edinburgh, are have gone on trial accused of religiously aggravated assault against the teenager, who was aged between 17 and 18 at the time.

Andrew Addison, of Selby, and Joseph Rose, of Bubwith, East Yorkshire, both deny putting a person in fear of violence by harassment and religiously aggravated assault by beating.

Addison also denies a charge of assault by beating. Christopher Jackson, of Barlby, North Yorkshire, and Alex Puchir, of Edinburgh both deny religiously aggravated assault by beating.

The trial was adjourned until Tuesday.