Edlington torture sentences under review
Indeterminate sentences handed to Edlington torture brothers under review from attorney general
Tuesday, 26, Jan 2010 05:32
By Matthew Champion.
The indeterminate sentences handed to two brothers jailed over the "sadistic" torture of two other children are being reviewed by the attorney general.
Lady Scotland, the government's chief legal adviser, is to review whether the sentences, which come with a five-year minimum term, are "unduly lenient".
In the event of her reaching that conclusion, the sentences would be passed on to the court of appeal.
"We have called for the papers in the case following a request that the attorney general calls it in," a spokesperson for the attorney general said.
The brothers, who have not been named, cannot be released until authorities say they no longer pose a threat to society.
The ten- and 11-year-old were handed the sentences last week for subjecting two children to a "sadistic" torture ordeal that lasted 90 minutes and left them barely alive.
Sheffield crown court had heard the horrific details of the attack the two boys, now aged 12 and 11, launched upon two other boys aged 11 and nine in Edlington, near Doncaster, last April.
The victims were left for dead following the attack on a strip of wasteland after being lured away from a park to see a dead fox.
During the ordeal the brothers had attacked their victims with broken glass, bricks and sticks.
One of the boys was also forced to strip naked and perform a sex act, with the eldest victim hurt when pieces of ceramic sink were dropped on his head.
The court was also shown footage taken by one of the brothers of his sibling taunting one of the boys as he lay on the ground covered in blood.
Several months prior to the attack the boys had been placed into care, with lawyers describing their home life as "toxic".
The only point during the hearing when either boy showed any emotion was when lawyers discussed the violence their father showed towards their mother at home.
Both boys and their other five brothers were shown graphic horror movies at home and had their food laced with cannabis so their mother could 'have a quiet night'.