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Charged: ‘torture’ boys aged 10 and 11
Justin Davenport, Crime Correspondent7 Apr 2009
TWO young brothers were today charged with the attempted murder of a nine-year-old boy and his 11-year-old uncle.
The pair, aged 10 and 11, are accused of attacking and torturing the boys, who were found with serious injuries in Edlington, near Doncaster, on Saturday afternoon.
The Crown Prosecution Service said that each brother would be charged with two counts of attempted murder and two counts of robbery.
At Doncaster youth court this afternoon the pair showed little emotion as the charges were read to them. The older boy wore a red England shirt and his brother a grey Umbro T-shirt as they stood with three security officers.
In a statement issued to police today, the parents of the injured 11-year-old boy said: “We would like to thank all the community for their help in finding our son and for all their continued support through what is a very traumatic time. We are hoping that our son will continue to recover from his ordeal.”
Police were called after the nine-year-old boy was found wandering, covered in blood. He told people where to find his 11-year-old uncle.
They had been set upon in a “barbaric attack” in which they were slashed from “head to toe” with a knife, burned with a cigarette and beaten with bricks before the older boy was thrown into a ravine.
He suffered serious head injuries and was left fighting for his life in hospital, while the younger boy needed surgery to a cut on his arm. Both were today still receiving treatment.
Today attention turned to the social services department in Doncaster, which has been accused of having a poor record of caring for children at risk. Questions are being asked about the supervision of the alleged attackers.
Known by social workers as the “Haringey of the North” — a reference to the council which failed to prevent the deaths of Victoria Climbié and Baby P — Doncaster has been described as “chaotic and dangerous” following the deaths of seven vulnerable young people.
Although it cannot be directly blamed for the attack in Edlington, concerns have been raised over its history of “serious weaknesses” in providing care for vulnerable children.
The suspects had been placed with approved foster parents living less than a mile from their father's home and apparently had severe behavioural problems.
Relatives of their alleged victims have accused the authority of not placing the brothers in more secure care.
Saturday's attack began when the two boys were riding their bikes. They were set upon and ordered to hand over their mobile phones, money and trainers. When they refused they were tortured before the older victim was pushed 30 feet down a steep embankment.
The younger boy, covered in blood, staggered to nearby homes to get help.
It has today been revealed that a week earlier, Callam Flett, an 11-year-old choirboy, who went to the same beauty spot known as Brick Ponds, was allegedly beaten by the same boys.
The attack was immediately reported to South Yorkshire police. Relatives of the two boys attacked at the weekend demanded to know why the authorities had not acted sooner.
The aunt of the 11-year-old boy thrown into the ravine, said: “They knew what the two attackers were capable of, but they did nothing.
“Social services should have taken them into more secure care and not just let them roam the streets. If he had been found just half an hour later my poor nephew would have died.”
He was airlifted to Sheffield Children's Hospital where his condition improved yesterday from critical to stable.
The younger boy was taken to Doncaster Royal Infirmary.
