A BOY of 14 has been charged with peddling heroin in Greenock and committing a violent assault and robbery using an array of weapons — including knives.

The young teen repeatedly struck a man on his head and body with a baseball bat, metal poles, a mallet and blades over an apparent debt, it is alleged.

He is now set to be prosecuted through the criminal justice system after appearing before a sheriff from police custody along with a 54-year-old man.

The boy and his co-accused, John McFadden, are said to have masked their faces before first abducting their alleged victim last Friday.

Prosecutors say the pair acted with others to carry out the alleged multiple-weapons attacks and also butt the man on his head before robbing him of a bank card.

The alleged offences are said to have been carried out at a flat in Greenock’s Gael Street and a property in nearby Paton Street — to which the Crown says entry was forced.

One of a catalogue of five charges against the 14-year-old and McFadden states that the pair detained the man against his will and presented a knife at his throat.

This is said to have happened while they allegedly demanded the man’s card PIN number as well as money.

The accused pair are further charged with ordering their alleged victim to ‘carry out an assault to satisfy a debt’ and that all of the claimed assaults were to his injury.

McFadden and the boy allegedly took the man’s bank card and PIN number and used them to steal a total of £340 from two ATM machines.

They carried out these thefts at the Londis store at Barr’s Cottage and at a post office in Bow Road, according to prosecutors.

The boy and McFadden are further charged with being concerned in the supply of heroin from a flat in Greenock.

They are also accused of being involved in peddling cannabis and diazepam.

The alleged drugs related offences are said to have been uncovered by police on Sunday 16 November.

Both accused made no plea or declaration through defence lawyer Ellen Macdonald during a brief sheriff court petition hearing in private.

Sheriff Ian Fleming remanded McFadden in custody and granted bail to the 14-year-old.

The case against them was continued for further examination.

Both accused are due to appear in court again later today.