# Edlington attacks > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Edlington_attacks > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Edlington_attacks.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edlington_attacks > Source revision: 1354086223 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|2009 child murders in Edlington, England}} {{Use British English|date=July 2014}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2026}} {{Infobox civilian attack | title = Edlington attacks | location = [Edlington](/source/Edlington), [South Yorkshire](/source/South_Yorkshire), England | date = {{start date|2009|04|09|df=y}} | type = [Child abduction](/source/Child_abduction) | injuries = 2 | verdict = Guilty | charges = [Attempted murder](/source/Attempted_murder), [robbery](/source/robbery) }} On 4 April 2009, an [abduction](/source/Child_abduction) and [torture](/source/torture) of two young boys by two young brothers occurred in [Edlington](/source/Edlington), [South Yorkshire](/source/South_Yorkshire), England. An 11-year-old boy was found with critical head injuries at a ravine in a rural area of Edlington, while his nine-year-old nephew was found wandering nearby covered in blood.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/south_yorkshire/7984392.stm |work=BBC News|title= Boys arrested over vicious attack|date=5 April 2009|accessdate=30 January 2010}}{{cite news| url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/5114495/Children-questioned-over-torture-of-schoolboys-in-Edlington-are-brothers.html | work=Telegraph| first1=Paul | last1=Stokes | first2=Richard | last2=Edwards | title=Children questioned over 'torture' of schoolboys in Edlington are brothers | date=6 April 2009| accessdate= 7 July 2019 }} On Tuesday, 7 April, two brothers, aged 10 and 11, who had been arrested on Sunday, 5 April, were each initially charged with the [attempted murder](/source/attempted_murder) and robbery of both of the injured boys.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/south_yorkshire/7987950.stm |work=BBC News|title= Brothers charged with boys attack|date=7 April 2009|accessdate=30 January 2010}}{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/south_yorkshire/8473978.stm|title=Edlington torture attack brothers detained|date=22 January 2010|work=BBC News Online|publisher=BBC|accessdate=22 January 2010| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20100126094956/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/south_yorkshire/8473978.stm| archivedate= 26 January 2010 | url-status= live}} They appeared at [Sheffield Crown Court](/source/Sheffield_Crown_Court), where a hearing revealed the extent of their actions. They had led the two boys to an isolated wasteland where one was forced to strip naked and perform a sex act. A metal ring was used to strangle the other. The brothers collected stones and bricks which were thrown at the boys' heads. When alerted by the sound of passers-by, the suspects covered the two boys with a sheet, which they then set alight, inflicting [burn](/source/burn)s on the victims. One brother had filmed part of the attack on his mobile phone, which was used as evidence in court.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/south_yorkshire/8469424.stm |title=Brothers tortured Edlington attack victims|work=BBC News|date=20 January 2010|accessdate=5 April 2011}} The two suspects pleaded guilty to causing [grievous bodily harm](/source/grievous_bodily_harm) with intent, to robbing one of the boys of a mobile phone and the other of cash, to two counts of intentionally causing a child to engage in sexual activity, and to one additional charge of [actual bodily harm](/source/Assault_occasioning_actual_bodily_harm) relating to a previous incident involving another 11-year-old boy. A child protection expert, Eileen Vizard, who had been involved in the [James Bulger case](/source/Murder_of_James_Bulger), told the sentencing judge that the younger brother was a "very high risk" to the community and was at risk of becoming "a seriously disturbed psychopathic offender" unless he was properly treated. The brothers were given [indeterminate sentences](/source/Indefinite_imprisonment) on 23 January 2010. The judge in the case, [Mr Justice Keith](/source/Brian_Keith_(judge)), ordered that under Section 39 of the [Children and Young Persons Act 1933](/source/Children_and_Young_Persons_Act_1933) their identities should not be disclosed.{{cite news| url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2010/jan/22/edlington-brothers-jailed-torture-boys | location=London | work=The Guardian | first1=Peter | last1=Walker | first2=Martin | last2=Wainwright | title=Edlington brothers jailed for torture of two boys | date=22 January 2010| accessdate= 5 April 2011 }} A request to appeal against the sentence was refused by the Criminal Division of the [Court of Appeal](/source/Court_of_Appeal_of_England_and_Wales) on 5 May 2010.{{cite news|url = https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2010/may/05/edlington-brothers-refused-permission-appeal|title = Edlington brothers are refused appeal against sentences|first= Peter |last=Walker |work = The Guardian|date = 5 May 2010| accessdate= 5 June 2011 }} In December 2016, the perpetrators were granted legal lifelong anonymity on the grounds that they would be "at serious risk of attack" if their identities became known.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-38263416 |title=Edlington boy torturers granted anonymity|work= BBC News|date= 16 December 2016|accessdate=9 December 2016}} In August 2017, shortly after release, the younger of the brothers was returned to prison indefinitely after breaching the terms of his parole; he was found in possession of a machete.{{cite news|url=https://metro.co.uk/2017/08/09/brother-who-tortured-two-boys-is-jailed-again-months-after-being-released-6840705/ |title=Brother who tortured two boys is jailed again|work= Metro|date= 8 August 2017|accessdate=20 September 2020}} ==References== {{Reflist}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Edlington Attempted Attacks}} Category:2009 crimes in the United Kingdom Category:Crime in South Yorkshire Category:Robberies in England Category:Torture in England Category:2009 in England Category:2010s in South Yorkshire Category:April 2009 crimes in Europe Category:Violence against men in the United Kingdom --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Edlington attacks](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edlington_attacks) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edlington_attacks?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.