A man was held hostage and beaten for four days inside an apartment because he is gay, prosecutors in the US state of Massachusetts have said.

Police have charged 19-year-old Jackson Sugrue with a hate crime in connection with the alleged assault in Framingham.

Prosecutor Dylan Krasinski said the 50-year-old man told police he was using drugs with Sugrue on Wednesday when the teen refused to let him leave the apartment.

The man told police he was struck multiple times and refused food and water until he managed to break free of the apartment on Saturday night.

Sugrue's lawyer denied the man's claims during his client's arraignment hearing on Monday, saying instead Sugrue was the victim.

The lawyer says the 50-year-old man was trying to take advantage of Sugrue.

Sugrue has been ordered held on $1,000 bail.

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