Vic trio admit blowtorch attack over debt

A man who tormented another man with a blowtorch over a $2000 debt told the victim he was a rat during a court appearance in Melbourne.

Rickie Kelly, 29, has pleaded guilty to several charges over an attack on a man who was assaulted, tied up and left in a car boot in Melbourne's north-east in November 2016.

In the Melbourne Magistrates' Court dock on Thursday, Kelly whispered the words "you rat" to his 50-year-old victim in the public gallery.

Kelly's brother Brett, 31, and an associate Philip Satatas, 27, also admitted the attack during the court hearing.

The trio struck a deal with prosecutors, pleading guilty to false imprisonment, intentionally causing injury and theft.

But several other charges were dropped as part of the plea agreement, including kidnapping and making threats to kill.

At a previous hearing, the court heard the victim was in his car at Diamond Creek when he was bundled into the boot by the trio and driven away.

In the attack over a $2000 debt, the man was hit, burned, bound and gagged, and left in the boot in South Morang.

Hours later, he managed to kick the boot open and he was helped by someone passing by.

The trio will return to court for a plea hearing on October 30.