Name Brianna's killers?

[billycat321]

There seems to be opposing views on whether the judge should name the convicted killers of Brianna, as they were only 15 at the time of the offence. I think that their names are known already where it matters- in their own community. Their fellow pupils must surely know who they are. Their parents and siblings must already be pointed at in the street. Their homes will have the morbidly curious loitering outside and taking photos. Even if they change their names and move to the other end of the country they will live in dread for the rest of their lives that someone will recognise them. A lifelong punishment for being related to two young killers.

I live quite near and at the time a Facebook post of their school photos and names was circulating.
I used to walk my dog in that park but it didn't feel right going there after what happened, absolutely horrific.

My only issue with naming them is it means their names will always be remembered alongside hers. Just like with Jamie Bulger it is forever linked in the public eye with Venables and Thompson. (I know it always will be for those close to her)

having their names in the public domain gives them a notarity and attention they don’t deserve.

Yeah, I don’t see the point. Anyone who knows them already knows and to everyone else, it’s just a random name.

I wonder why it was acceptable though to name Jamies killers who were younger and not these ones? Why the difference?

Their names are all over social media. The Judge said she was going to name them on sentencing I think?

I don’t think we should make exceptions to rules or laws. There are several cases ongoing where the accused are under age and so not named; they theoretically won’t be named if found guilty .
If you are going to change the law, change it properly and apply it across the board.

They are already openly named on sm, along with their photos. Why does it matter. They really are just random names and photos of 2 teenagers.

It wasn't acceptable and it shouldn't have happened IMO. I had hoped we'd moved on and that this pair wouldn't be named.

As someone else said, naming them will give them notoriety and put the spotlight on them. It will bring risk to their families, and it will achieve nothing. Who will it help? Nobody, that's who.

I don't see what there is to gain by naming them.

They should be named and the shame forever associates go their birth name even though they will most likely change it later on.

Their names are already all over SM.

Search Brianna on TikTok and they come straight up.

I don't see the point in the names not being officially released.

Child killers promote far more notoriety than adult killers. They have a lifetime to live with that notoriety. I don't understand why they should be named. It just means the tabloids can have a field day.

I suppose thinking back it has cost the taxpayer a lot since naming Jamies killers in order to give them new identities and for one of the a new life outside of prison. Similar happened in Ireland recently enough a girl was killed and her killers not named but everyone knew who did it as some did name and shame them and then THEY got arrested for doing so. Horrendous either way.

It’s not changing any laws. Children have no automatic right to anonymity in an adult court (which this was), just the youth court.

Judges usually make an order restricting publication (as in this case) weighing up the welfare of the child against the public interest in open justice and reporting proceedings in full. That usually comes down on the side of the child’s welfare.

However applications can be made to lift that order at any point in the proceedings. It’s done on a case by case basis, weighing up the balance. Post conviction, the balance is more likely to tip into the public interest.

The children will be in custody for a long time, where they will (in theory) be protected from the impact of any reporting of their identities. It’s a bit different now because things stay online for a lot longer, but the judge will have carried out a careful balancing act in deciding whether the reporting restrictions should stay in place.

I hadn't actually considered that naming them would have implications for their families until I read this thread. I'd always just assumed that it was best to name them because they are the absolute scourge of our society and they don't deserve the privilege of anonymity, but of course that causes problems for those who have an association with them.

I don't often change my view on something based on what I read on here, so I want to thank those of you who have made considered, rational comments about it and contributed to the conversation. You're never too old to learn, and I really am grateful to have been able to consider a perspective I hadn't thought about before.

I don't see anything to be gained by naming g them.

It’s too late now. They are going to be named as reporting restrictions will be lifted. At sentencing so probably Feb. The judge is getting psychologists reports. The argument for naming is demonstrating that Justice is seen to be done. They could be named at 18 anyway.

However, I don’t agree with it. I think their families need help and probably need a new life. They must surely form part of the investigation as to what went wrong in the lives of the convicted children. The newspapers always want names published and so did the parents of Brianna. Of course they do but I would have delayed publication. However the names are out there so maybe the judge decided reporting could be lifted because too many people knew already.

Jamie Bulger's killers were not named until they were convicted, so there is no difference. Throughout the trial they were referred to as child A and child B. The judge's decision to name them was controversial at the time.

It wasn't acceptable. Decades of Criminology students have written essays debating this very subject.

teenagers kill teenagers all the time, in gang related violence, in car accidents, through abusive relationships, through many different acts of impulsivity and stupidity. This was a particularly horrific crime but naming them is just pandering to the public want for all the gory details. It's of no benefit to anyone other than daily Mail clicks and social media reactions.

I agree.