Crossword Genius

Roughly stripped and beaten for being into gruesome stuff (5)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

ghoul

'being into gruesome stuff' is the definition.
(a person with morbid interests)

I don't understand how the remainder of the clue works.

(Other definitions for ghoul that I've seen before include "Evil presence" , "shade" , "Morbid soul" , "Morbid voyeur" , "Gruesome fiend" .)

I've seen this clue in The Independent.
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