One man is in custody for extortion and assault after allegedly beating another man over an unpaid drug debt in Nanaimo.
The incident began shortly before 5 p.m. Thursday when the victim, 23, was confronted about his unpaid debt.
The victim was forced to sign over ownership of his truck to cover the debt, but after signing was prevented from leaving the residence and was allegedly kicked, punched, whipped with a rubber hose and threatened that his legs would be broken.
Police, acting on a tip from the public, found the victim shortly before 7 p.m. at a residence in the 400 block of Third Street.
Officers removed him and searched the home, but failing to find the suspect, continued searching until they arrested him at another Third Street residence around 11:30 p.m.
Alan John Jackson, 25, appeared in Nanaimo provincial court Friday on charges of extortion and assault.
The victim suffered severe bruising to his face, arms and legs, but did not require hospitalization.
Const. Gary O’Brien, Nanaimo RCMP spokesman, said the amount of money owed was only in the range of a couple hundred dollars.
“The drug culture fosters an environment of violence where this type of intimidation is not uncommon when debts are not paid,” said O’Brien. “The victim is lucky he did not sustain more serious injuries than he did.”