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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Young brothers admit boys' attack | Young brothers admit boys' attack |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Two young brothers who lured two boys, aged nine and 11, to a South Yorkshire ravine before attacking them with bricks have admitted the assault. | Two young brothers who lured two boys, aged nine and 11, to a South Yorkshire ravine before attacking them with bricks have admitted the assault. |
| At Sheffield Crown Court, the brothers, aged 10 and 11 at the time, pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm. | At Sheffield Crown Court, the brothers, aged 10 and 11 at the time, pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm. |
| One of the victims also had a sink dropped on to his head and both were left seriously injured in Edlington. | One of the victims also had a sink dropped on to his head and both were left seriously injured in Edlington. |
| The brothers were arrested on 4 April after the younger victim, covered in blood, escaped and raised the alarm. | The brothers were arrested on 4 April after the younger victim, covered in blood, escaped and raised the alarm. |
| Attempted murder charges over the attack near Doncaster were dropped by prosecutors. | Attempted murder charges over the attack near Doncaster were dropped by prosecutors. |
| Reports are being prepared on the boys, ahead of a sentencing hearing, expected to be held in November. | Reports are being prepared on the boys, ahead of a sentencing hearing, expected to be held in November. |
| 'Forever haunted' | 'Forever haunted' |
| The victims first met their attackers as they played football in a park. | The victims first met their attackers as they played football in a park. |
| The boys were lured away by the brothers, who promised they would show them a toad they had found, but instead they were subjected to a horrific assault. | The boys were lured away by the brothers, who promised they would show them a toad they had found, but instead they were subjected to a horrific assault. |
| One of the boys had a sink dropped on his head, the pair had bricks thrown at them and they were repeatedly stamped on. | One of the boys had a sink dropped on his head, the pair had bricks thrown at them and they were repeatedly stamped on. |
| The nine-year-old managed to stagger to a nearby house to raise the alarm, covered in blood from wounds to his head and arm. | The nine-year-old managed to stagger to a nearby house to raise the alarm, covered in blood from wounds to his head and arm. |
| The 11-year-old boy was later discovered unconscious in the nearby wood. | The 11-year-old boy was later discovered unconscious in the nearby wood. |
| A woman who first saw the younger child said she would be forever haunted by the image of his bloodied face. | A woman who first saw the younger child said she would be forever haunted by the image of his bloodied face. |
| The two attackers were arrested by these allotments | |
| Jean Wright said her 40-year-old son, who then found the badly beaten 11-year-old, was left so traumatised he could no longer walk past the scene of the attacks. | Jean Wright said her 40-year-old son, who then found the badly beaten 11-year-old, was left so traumatised he could no longer walk past the scene of the attacks. |
| The brothers have each pleaded guilty to robbing one of the boys of a mobile phone and the other of cash. | The brothers have each pleaded guilty to robbing one of the boys of a mobile phone and the other of cash. |
| They also admitted two counts of intentionally causing a child to engage in sexual activity. | They also admitted two counts of intentionally causing a child to engage in sexual activity. |
| Both injured boys have since been released from hospital following their ordeal. | Both injured boys have since been released from hospital following their ordeal. |
| The brothers were later charged with attempted grievous bodily harm with intent and making a threat to kill in connection with a separate attack on another 11-year-old boy in Doncaster a week earlier. | The brothers were later charged with attempted grievous bodily harm with intent and making a threat to kill in connection with a separate attack on another 11-year-old boy in Doncaster a week earlier. |
| The pair had denied these offences, but each have pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm. | The pair had denied these offences, but each have pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm. |
| Throughout this case, the prosecution team have had in mind the distress that attending court and giving evidence would cause all the victims Adrian Lower, CPS | |
| The court heard the brothers picked a "discreet" location for the scene of their first attack on the other boy, in trees, by a stream. | The court heard the brothers picked a "discreet" location for the scene of their first attack on the other boy, in trees, by a stream. |
| But they were interrupted by a passer-by, and a week later chose a "more isolated" place for the attack on the two boys. | But they were interrupted by a passer-by, and a week later chose a "more isolated" place for the attack on the two boys. |
| The nine-year-old and 11-year-old were led to a large mound of timber, described as a "den", which was hidden from public view, where some of their injuries were inflicted. | The nine-year-old and 11-year-old were led to a large mound of timber, described as a "den", which was hidden from public view, where some of their injuries were inflicted. |
| The brothers then moved their victims to a second site, at the foot of a 15ft ravine. It was here that a broken sink was used to inflict the more serious head injuries on the 11-year-old. | The brothers then moved their victims to a second site, at the foot of a 15ft ravine. It was here that a broken sink was used to inflict the more serious head injuries on the 11-year-old. |
| Nicholas Campbell QC, prosecuting, described the offences as "grave crimes". | Nicholas Campbell QC, prosecuting, described the offences as "grave crimes". |
| The prosecutor said on the day of the second attack, the two brothers should have been at the police station being questioned about the earlier assault. | The prosecutor said on the day of the second attack, the two brothers should have been at the police station being questioned about the earlier assault. |
| Serious case review | Serious case review |
| He said: "Instead, they went out and attacked [the two boys]." | He said: "Instead, they went out and attacked [the two boys]." |
| The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said the decision not to pursue the attempted murder charges was taken in consultation with the victims' families. | The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said the decision not to pursue the attempted murder charges was taken in consultation with the victims' families. |
| Adrian Lower, head of the CPS complex casework unit for South Yorkshire and Humberside, said: "Throughout this case, the prosecution team have had in mind the distress that attending court and giving evidence would cause all the victims." | Adrian Lower, head of the CPS complex casework unit for South Yorkshire and Humberside, said: "Throughout this case, the prosecution team have had in mind the distress that attending court and giving evidence would cause all the victims." |
| Doncaster Council said a serious case review was now under way to establish if there are lessons to be learned by any agency involved. | Doncaster Council said a serious case review was now under way to establish if there are lessons to be learned by any agency involved. |
| The judge, Mr Justice Keith, will visit the site of the attacks before the boys are sentenced. | The judge, Mr Justice Keith, will visit the site of the attacks before the boys are sentenced. |