This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/england/south_yorkshire/8473112.stm
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Torture boys' 'toxic' upbringing | |
| (31 minutes later) | |
| Two brothers who brutally attacked two young boys witnessed serious domestic violence against their mother and had a "toxic home life", a court has heard. | Two brothers who brutally attacked two young boys witnessed serious domestic violence against their mother and had a "toxic home life", a court has heard. |
| The brothers, aged 10 and 11 at the time, attacked their victims in Edlington, South Yorkshire, last April. | The brothers, aged 10 and 11 at the time, attacked their victims in Edlington, South Yorkshire, last April. |
| Peter Kelson QC, representing the older brother, told Sheffield Crown Court the boys' father threatened to slice their mother's face "to bits" with a knife. | Peter Kelson QC, representing the older brother, told Sheffield Crown Court the boys' father threatened to slice their mother's face "to bits" with a knife. |
| The court heard the boys were also shown "extreme" horror films. | |
| The sentencing hearing, which is expected to conclude on Friday, was adjourned for a short time after the younger brother became distressed. | |
| The boy put his head on the desk in front of him and cried as Mr Kelson began to outline the brothers' violent upbringing. | The boy put his head on the desk in front of him and cried as Mr Kelson began to outline the brothers' violent upbringing. |
| 'Gruesome movies' | |
| The judge, Mr Justice Keith, decided to adjourn the hearing until he recovered. | The judge, Mr Justice Keith, decided to adjourn the hearing until he recovered. |
| The judge has heard how the brothers threatened to kill their victims, then aged nine and 11, stamped on them and attacked them with broken glass, bricks and sticks. | |
| One victim was forced to strip naked and perform a sex act and a metal ring was used to strangle one boy. | |
| Police video shows the route the boys took before and after the horrific attack | |
| The brothers have admitted causing grievous bodily harm with intent. | The brothers have admitted causing grievous bodily harm with intent. |
| They have also each pleaded guilty to robbing one of the boys of a mobile phone and the other of cash and have admitted two counts of intentionally causing a child to engage in sexual activity. | They have also each pleaded guilty to robbing one of the boys of a mobile phone and the other of cash and have admitted two counts of intentionally causing a child to engage in sexual activity. |
| The boys' mother, who has seven sons including the two defendants, described to a consultant psychiatrist being subjected to serious violence by their father. | |
| Mr Kelson described one incident when her partner said he would "take a knife to her and slice her face to bits". | |
| He added: "These threats were made in front of the children." | |
| The barrister said his client's upbringing could be summarised by a reference in one report to his "toxic home life". | |
| Mr Kelson said his client had been shown horror films at his home when he was as young as 10. | |
| He said the films were "extremely violent" and "gruesome movies in the extreme". | |
| The barrister said the boy also had access to his father's pornographic DVDs. |