"Edlington brothers" granted indefinite anonymity

The pair were sentenced to an indeterminate period in custody, with a minimum of five years, following the horrific attack in 2009, which became known as the Edlington Case.

A court order made at the time granted them anonymity until they were both 18.

As the younger of the two brothers approached his 18th birthday, lawyers acting for the pair sought a lifelong anonymity order, claiming that identifying them would breach various sections of the Human Rights Act. 

And today (Friday) High Court judge Sir Geoffrey Vos ruled that they should remain anonymous.

The brothers’ attack on the two boys, who were nine and 11, caused a wave of revulsion across the country.

They lured their victims to a secluded spot and subjected them to 90 minutes of violence and sexual humiliation.

The victims were throttled, hit with bricks, made to eat nettles, stripped and forced to sexually abuse each other.