Scott Clayton Parry, 43, does not deny inflicting the “full thickness burns”, but says he did so at the request of the alleged victim, also 43, the court heard. 

Mr Parry appeared in handcuffs in the court dock on Monday charged with reckless grievous bodily harm in company, assault occasioning actual bodily harm in company and possession of a prohibited weapon.

He is accused of calling his friend, who rents a property on Mr Parry’s Stockrington property, into a shed about 1.30am on Friday before “king-hitting” him to the ground. Mr Parry and a female co-accused are then alleged to have kicked the man, before Mr Parry allegedly took a baseball bat to his lower back and legs. 

He is then alleged to have handed the bat to the woman, told her to “cave his head in” if the alleged victim moved, before pouring diesel onto the man. 

Mr Parry is then alleged to have used a propane torch to heat a large steel horseshoe for about half an hour, before “branding” the alleged victim’s back and burning his fingers with the torch. 

“This is essentially tantamount to some form of torture,” police prosecutor Sergeant Brad Winter said. 

“It is something that has taken some time to do.”

The whole ordeal lasted for about three hours, court documents state. 

Magistrate John Chicken said it was a “grave” set of allegations and no bail conditions could mitigate the potential risk when refusing Mr Parry bail until November 10. Central Hunter detectives arrested a woman outside Maitland courthouse after Mr Parry’s appearance on Monday.