A MAN who kept a friend prisoner in his house for hours and attacked him with a hammer and knife has been jailed.

David Finucane, 37, held Aaron Fisher – who he had known for 25 years – captive at his Builth Wells home for more than six hours, with the victim’s ordeal only ending after a police siege, which involved negotiators talking Finucane out of the house.

During his captivity, Mr Fisher was struck multiple times with a hammer and also had his arm slashed with a knife.

Caernarfon Crown Court heard on Monday, September 30, that Finucane threatened to “chop up” Mr Fisher and dispose of his body.

Finucane forced his victim to shower and also clean the floor at his Cwrt-y-Castell home on March 19 this year as he was worried about forensic evidence.

The court heard Mr Fisher’s ordeal began at around 4.30am and only ended sometime after 1pm after police negotiators arrived and ended the siege.

Finucane initially denied offences of false imprisonment, causing grievous bodily harm and possession of an offensive weapon in a private place.

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The case had been set for trial but Finucane earlier this month pleaded guilty to a slightly lesser charge of causing grievous bodily harm without intent, with the other offences to lie on file.

Maria Masselis, prosecuting, said Mr Fisher’s nightmare had seen him readmitted to a psychiatric unit for treatment.

“Aaron Fisher had known the defendant for 25 years,” Ms Masselis told the court.

“On March 19 he went to the defendant’s home for a mutual friend’s birthday. He arrived at 11.30pm; he described the atmosphere as chilled.

“Other friends were there. Everyone was drinking alcohol. Things changed after the defendant discovered he (Mr Fisher) had inherited a substantial sum of money.”

Finucane started becoming aggressive toward Mr Fisher at around 4.30am.

“He said he wanted Mr Fisher to buy drugs from him, not anyone else," the prosecutor said.

“He wanted him to go to the cashpoint and give him £500. Mr Fisher said the defendant was taking cocaine and speed.

“He told Mr Fisher he was a dangerous man who’d killed people in the past. He then started smashing up his flat with a wooden lump hammer.

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“He told Mr Fisher he would be found dead and he would chop him up and put him in sulphuric acid.”

Finucane, at some point, locked both the front and back door, as well as interior door in the flat, and that between 4.30am and 7.30am he attacked Mr Fisher with the lump hammer, hitting him in his feet, hands, elbows and knees.

“He said he was also hit about the head five times,” she said.

“There were others present. At one point the defendant nodded off; Mr Fisher tried to leave the flat but there was a scuffle and the defendant started attacking him again.

“He had a small knife, which had been hidden in his socks, and the defendant slashed his arm.

“Mr Fisher’s clothing had blood on it, there was blood in the flat, and the defendant seemed to be concerned about that. He wanted Mr Fisher to go into the shower and also clean his floor.”

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Police arrived at the address at around 1pm after receiving three anonymous phonecalls.

“It was a police siege and the defendant reacted aggressively to the police’s arrival,” added Ms Masselis.

Finucane told police that if they went through his door he would stab Mr Fisher.

“Negotiators arrived and eventually he allowed Mr Fisher to leave the flat; the defendant was arrested.”

Finucane asserted he had acted in self-defence. The court was told he had 39 convictions for 78 offences.

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James Coutts, representing Finucane, said: “He hadn’t planned this, it was very much a case of events that came to his door.

“Things were OK for a long time. Drink and drugs triggered this erratic behaviour.

“He has shown genuine remorse, they were friends for a long time. He clearly has issues, not helped by addictions to drugs and alcohol.”

Finucane was permitted to read a letter to Judge Timothy Petts. He said: “I deeply regret events. I have been friends with Aaron Fisher for 25 years.

“I don’t agree with his account but I hope my guilty plea helps with his recovery. I have been traumatised by the incident myself.”

Judge Petts told Finucane: “Several things made this worst – your previous convictions, the fact you were under the influence of drugs and the steps you took to prevent him from leaving the house for several hours.

“This was not impulsive. Only immediate custody will do.”

He jailed Finucane, who appeared via videolink and who has been on remand in prison since his arrest in March, for 22 months.