Sadly, its already time for our first horror story of the new year:

A teenage Afghan girl was brutally tortured, beaten and locked in a toilet by her husband’s family for five months after she refused to become a prostitute, it emerged today.

Sahar Gul, 15, was in critical condition when she was rescued from a house in northern Baghlan province last week, after her neighbours reported hearing Miss Gul crying and moaning in pain.

According to police in Baghlan, her in-laws pulled out her nails and hair, and locked her in a dark basement bathroom for about five months, with barely enough food and water to survive.

Her husband’s family also burned the teenager with cigarettes and cut out chunks of her flesh with pliers.

Despite being barely able to speak, Miss Gul managed to tell media about the terrifying ordeal.

‘For several months I was locked up in a toilet by my in-laws and particularly my mother-in-law,’ she said.

‘I was denied food and water. I was tortured and beaten.’

Doctors say the youngster has suffered both mentally and physically and will need weeks of treatment in order to recover.

‘She was married seven months ago, and was originally from Badakhshan province. Her in-laws tried to force her into prostitution to earn money,’ Rahima Zarifi, head of women’s affairs in Baghlan told Reuters.

I know rot like this exists in the world, have known it for many years. But it still sickens me to see it. I hope the people who did this to her are all hanged together. Scum like that shouldn’t be breathing.