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| Torture attack brothers detained | Torture attack brothers detained |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Two brothers who tortured two boys in a "sadistic" attack have been sentenced to an indefinite period of detention. | Two brothers who tortured two boys in a "sadistic" attack have been sentenced to an indefinite period of detention. |
| Sheffield Crown Court heard how the pair, then aged 10 and 11, threatened to kill their nine and 11-year-old victims in Edlington, South Yorkshire. | Sheffield Crown Court heard how the pair, then aged 10 and 11, threatened to kill their nine and 11-year-old victims in Edlington, South Yorkshire. |
| The brothers, who admitted causing grievous bodily harm, were told they would serve a minimum five years. | The brothers, who admitted causing grievous bodily harm, were told they would serve a minimum five years. |
| During their 90-minute ordeal in April 2009 the victims were stamped on, forced to strip and hit with bricks. | During their 90-minute ordeal in April 2009 the victims were stamped on, forced to strip and hit with bricks. |
| Sentencing the brothers, the judge Mr Justice Keith described their behaviour as "appalling and terrible". | Sentencing the brothers, the judge Mr Justice Keith described their behaviour as "appalling and terrible". |
| He added: "The fact is this was prolonged, sadistic violence for no reason other than that you got a real kick out of hurting and humiliating them. | He added: "The fact is this was prolonged, sadistic violence for no reason other than that you got a real kick out of hurting and humiliating them. |
| Hearing the evidence in court during these past three days has also been deeply upsetting for us all Victims' families 'Toxic' life of brutal brothers Turning around child criminals | Hearing the evidence in court during these past three days has also been deeply upsetting for us all Victims' families 'Toxic' life of brutal brothers Turning around child criminals |
| "The bottom line for the two of you is that I'm sure you both pose a very high risk of serious harm to others." | "The bottom line for the two of you is that I'm sure you both pose a very high risk of serious harm to others." |
| Referring to the victims' families, he said: "I want them to know that I've taken into account the devastating effect that all of this has had on their lives and the lives of their boys. | Referring to the victims' families, he said: "I want them to know that I've taken into account the devastating effect that all of this has had on their lives and the lives of their boys. |
| "I have no doubt that they would have preferred to see (the two brothers) locked up for very much longer and I know that nothing can compare to the trauma the boys went through, but I hope they appreciate that five years is the very least they will serve." | "I have no doubt that they would have preferred to see (the two brothers) locked up for very much longer and I know that nothing can compare to the trauma the boys went through, but I hope they appreciate that five years is the very least they will serve." |
| After sentencing, Doncaster Council offered a profuse apology to the victims. | |
| In a statement issued through police, their families said the events had "rocked our lives". | |
| "We have found the last nine months to have been an extremely difficult and testing time," they said. | "We have found the last nine months to have been an extremely difficult and testing time," they said. |
| "Hearing the evidence in court during these past three days has also been deeply upsetting for us all." | "Hearing the evidence in court during these past three days has also been deeply upsetting for us all." |
| Describing the effect of the attack on the victims, the judge said: "Their physical and emotional scars will live with them for a long time to come. | Describing the effect of the attack on the victims, the judge said: "Their physical and emotional scars will live with them for a long time to come. |
| "Their relationship with each other has been seriously affected and their parents have been left with a strong sense of guilt, which they didn't begin to deserve, about whether they could have done more to protect their boys." | "Their relationship with each other has been seriously affected and their parents have been left with a strong sense of guilt, which they didn't begin to deserve, about whether they could have done more to protect their boys." |
| 'Domination and degradation' | 'Domination and degradation' |
| Part of the attack was filmed by one of the brothers on a mobile phone. | Part of the attack was filmed by one of the brothers on a mobile phone. |
| The judge said: "By recording parts of what you did on a mobile, you made at least some of this an example of happy slapping." | The judge said: "By recording parts of what you did on a mobile, you made at least some of this an example of happy slapping." |
| The judge said the boys had chosen their victims because of their vulnerability. | The judge said the boys had chosen their victims because of their vulnerability. |
| He told the older brother: "...you wanted to assert your dominance over them by the use of aggression, extreme violence and sexual degradation and inflicting pain in order to gain a sense of power and control over their lives." | He told the older brother: "...you wanted to assert your dominance over them by the use of aggression, extreme violence and sexual degradation and inflicting pain in order to gain a sense of power and control over their lives." |
| Sgt Richard Vernon: 'It's the worst thing I've seen in 22 years' | Sgt Richard Vernon: 'It's the worst thing I've seen in 22 years' |
| The judge said the younger boy had controlled the victims by "domination, degradation and inflicting pain for the purpose of your own emotional pleasure." | The judge said the younger boy had controlled the victims by "domination, degradation and inflicting pain for the purpose of your own emotional pleasure." |
| The brothers showed no emotion as the sentences were passed. As they were led out of court the mother of their younger victim swore at them and called them "evil". | The brothers showed no emotion as the sentences were passed. As they were led out of court the mother of their younger victim swore at them and called them "evil". |
| The older brother told police he attacked the boys because he had been bored and "there were nowt to do". | |
| The court earlier heard the brothers, who were placed in foster care a few months before the attack, had a chaotic upbringing with their violent father, mother and five brothers. | |
| They were shown "extreme" horror films and the younger victim had access to pornographic DVDs and smoked cannabis grown on his father's allotment. | |
| Speaking about the case Det Supt Mick Mason of South Yorkshire Police said: "This is clearly the most traumatic investigation I have ever come across. Not the most difficult - but the most traumatic." | Speaking about the case Det Supt Mick Mason of South Yorkshire Police said: "This is clearly the most traumatic investigation I have ever come across. Not the most difficult - but the most traumatic." |
| The court was told how the boys were approached by the brothers on 4 April and lured to an isolated wood ravine where they were strangled, stripped and forced to sexually abuse each other. | The court was told how the boys were approached by the brothers on 4 April and lured to an isolated wood ravine where they were strangled, stripped and forced to sexually abuse each other. |
| The older victim was seriously injured when pieces of ceramic sink were dropped on his head. | The older victim was seriously injured when pieces of ceramic sink were dropped on his head. |
| After their tormentors left the scene the injured boy told the younger victim: "You go and I'll just die here." | After their tormentors left the scene the injured boy told the younger victim: "You go and I'll just die here." |
| 'Serious failings' | |
| The blood-soaked boy raised the alarm and the older boy was later found lying face down with the bottom half of his body naked. | The blood-soaked boy raised the alarm and the older boy was later found lying face down with the bottom half of his body naked. |
| One of the men who found him told the court he feared the youngster had died. | One of the men who found him told the court he feared the youngster had died. |
| The attackers were placed on the sex offenders register for three years. | The attackers were placed on the sex offenders register for three years. |
| The boys also received 24 months detention for the offences of causing a child to engage in sexual activity and 18 months' detention for robbing the boys. | The boys also received 24 months detention for the offences of causing a child to engage in sexual activity and 18 months' detention for robbing the boys. |
| They were each sentenced to 30 months detention after they admitted causing another 11-year-old actual bodily harm a week before the young boys were attacked. | They were each sentenced to 30 months detention after they admitted causing another 11-year-old actual bodily harm a week before the young boys were attacked. |
| All sentences will run concurrently. | All sentences will run concurrently. |
| A BBC investigation has revealed the two attackers were well-known troublemakers and social services were heavily involved in their lives. | A BBC investigation has revealed the two attackers were well-known troublemakers and social services were heavily involved in their lives. |
| A Safeguarding Children Board report, seen by BBC Newsnight, found the attack could have been prevented. | A Safeguarding Children Board report, seen by BBC Newsnight, found the attack could have been prevented. |
| Chair of the board, Roger Thompson, said: "No-one could have predicted the severity of the attack. However, the review has concluded there were serious failings in local services." | Chair of the board, Roger Thompson, said: "No-one could have predicted the severity of the attack. However, the review has concluded there were serious failings in local services." |