Four teenagers were charged with attacking homeless people with a stun gun as they slept and videotaping the assaults.

Police in Cleveland, Ohio said the teenagers carried out attacks on at least six homeless people sleeping on park benches or in doorways.

“I’ve never seen anything like it in 18 years, except on TV,” said Sgt Ray Burner. “Did you ever see the movie Jackass? Well, that’s essentially what we’re talking about.”

Joshuah Langenheim, 19, was charged with assault yesterday. Three other teenagers, all juveniles, were released to their parents and will face delinquency assault charges.

Police said they were arrested after their car broke down on a city centre street and another motorist stopped to help at about 3.30am. The teenagers ran, and the motorist talked to a nearby homeless man who told him about the attacks.

The motorist, 35-year-old Joseph Wright, flagged down a motorcycle police officer and told him what had happened.

“Talk about America’s dumbest criminals,” Wright said. ”Their car was broken down in front of the Justice Centre, and the camera and videocassettes were inside it.”