Just when I think I’ll never be again surprised by the capacity of one human being to inflict unimaginable pain and suffering on another human being, along comes this story.

I was appalled when I read about Michael Gilbert’s ordeal. Talk about a dysfunctional family.

Here’s an excerpt from The Times:

Three people were each jailed for life yesterday for the “depraved” torture and murder of a vulnerable man they held captive as a slave.

Michael Gilbert’s headless body was discovered dumped in a lake after members of the Watt family beheaded him, having tormenting him for years while they stole his benefit money.

James Watt, 27, was ordered to serve a minimum of 36 years, and his girlfriend, Natasha Oldfield, 29, was jailed for at least 18 years. Nicola Roberts, the 22-year-old girlfriend of Watt’s brother, was jailed for a minimum of 15 years. Watt’s brother, Robert Watt, 20, and his mother, Jennifer Smith-Dennis, 58, were jailed for eight years and ten years respectively for familial homicide. A third brother, Richard Watt, 25, who had pleaded guilty to familial homicide, was sentenced to six years.

Honestly, how the fuck does shit like this happen?

The victim’s dismembered body was dumped in the Blue Lagoon in Arlesey, Bedfordshire, in May last year. His head, knee joints, forearm and elbow were missing. His head was not discovered until February this year.

James Watt had met Mr Gilbert at a children’s home when they were both 15. After being held by the Watt family, Mr Gilbert was beaten, shot and stabbed and made to roam the house in only his boxer shorts. Oldfield even kept a diary of the torments inflicted upon Mr Gilbert, which included plans to hold a “game show” in which people would pay £5 to slap him and £25 to head-butt him.

The man escaped on several occasions but the family repeatedly tracked him down and dragged him back to their house. The household income at the time of Mr Gilbert’s death was £3,953 a month, £2,253 of which was largely their victim’s benefits.

I ask the question again, how the fuck did this family get away with committing these heinous crimes against a man who was supposedly being looked after by the state?