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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
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| Young brothers admit boys' attack | Young brothers admit boys' attack |
| (about 1 hour 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. |
| 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. |
| Jenny Hill, BBC News, Sheffield Crown Court The crimes that these brothers committed, the injuries they inflicted, were considered so severe that they were initially charged with attempted murder. | |
| They pleaded not guilty to attempted murder but guilty to a lesser charge, grievous bodily harm. | |
| The court has accepted that lesser charge. | |
| The Crown Prosecution Service and South Yorkshire Police said they believe this is the right decision because of course it stops the victims having to relive the traumatic attack during a trial which would have taken certainly two or three weeks. | |
| The decision was taken in accordance with the families of those victims, who say they are particularly relieved that the boys would not have to relive what had happened to them. | |
| The maximum sentence for grievous bodily harm is the same as the maximum sentence for attempted murder, so the feeling here at the court is very much that the difference in charges really doesn't actually affect the outcome of this. | |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| The two attackers were arrested by allotments in Edlington | |
| 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". |
| 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 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. |
| 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. |