A DIRECTOR of a security firm has been jailed for seven years for the "inhumane" torture of a vulnerable young man despite an Edinburgh councillor's plea for him to be freed.

John Lindsay and two accomplices subjected Jamie Alexander to a terrifying 90-minute ordeal in July last year.

The badly beaten 20-year-old had boiling water poured over him before he was dumped in a kennel with two large dogs.

The victim, who was also burned with cigarettes, had wandered into Lindsay's unlocked home in Edinburgh. He had lost his train ticket and was looking for directions.

Lindsay yesterday returned to the High Court in Glasgow after previously admitting to the savage attack.

David Walker, the member for Craigmillar and Portobello, had written a letter on the council's headed notepaper asking for the 52-year-old to be spared jail.

However, the judge described the plea as preposterous and said he had never "seen anything more ridiculous" in his legal career.

Lord Turnbull added at the time: "This is an act of barbaric torture over a prolonged period of time on a vulnerable young man. This councillor proposes it should be dealt with by a non-custodial sentence. What troubles me is the way in which this individual does so in his public capacity."

Lord Turnbull ordered his clerk to make Walker aware of the full facts of the case and asked for an apology.

Lindsay was also ordered to pay his victim £5000 in compensation. The judge said he had behaved in an inhumane manner which involved the humiliation of his victim.

He also told Lindsay, ­director of JSL Security Services said that given his background "taking the law into his own hands" made the offence more serious.

It is believed the ­ councillor has written to apologise.