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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| 'Feral' boys jailed for killing | 'Feral' boys jailed for killing |
| (about 6 hours later) | |
| A pair of teenagers who repeatedly bullied and attacked a vulnerable man, before beating and tossing him into a river, have been jailed for life. | A pair of teenagers who repeatedly bullied and attacked a vulnerable man, before beating and tossing him into a river, have been jailed for life. |
| Craig Dodd, 17, and Ryan Palin, 15, pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of David Atherton, 40, who died last May. | Craig Dodd, 17, and Ryan Palin, 15, pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of David Atherton, 40, who died last May. |
| Warrington Crown Court heard that Mr Atherton, who had learning difficulties and suffered alcoholism, was subjected to regular abuse by the pair. | Warrington Crown Court heard that Mr Atherton, who had learning difficulties and suffered alcoholism, was subjected to regular abuse by the pair. |
| The court heard Dodd and Palin described as "feral, wild and untamed". | The court heard Dodd and Palin described as "feral, wild and untamed". |
| Reporting restrictions, which would usually prevent the boys' names being published, were lifted by the judge. | Reporting restrictions, which would usually prevent the boys' names being published, were lifted by the judge. |
| If one were to search for a single adjective to describe their behaviour, it would be feral Patrick Harrington QCProsecuting | |
| Dodd and Palin were part of a teenage gang who preyed on vulnerable adults in Warrington, the court heard. | Dodd and Palin were part of a teenage gang who preyed on vulnerable adults in Warrington, the court heard. |
| Mr Atherton, originally from Wigan, Greater Manchester, was forced into letting the gang use his flat to drink and smoke cannabis. | Mr Atherton, originally from Wigan, Greater Manchester, was forced into letting the gang use his flat to drink and smoke cannabis. |
| The teenagers subjected him to regular abuse and humiliation, which they called "terroring". | The teenagers subjected him to regular abuse and humiliation, which they called "terroring". |
| This included pouring drinks and food on to him, daubing his face with ink and make-up, burning his hair, urinating on him and vandalising his flat. It also included regular beatings. | This included pouring drinks and food on to him, daubing his face with ink and make-up, burning his hair, urinating on him and vandalising his flat. It also included regular beatings. |
| Patrick Harrington QC, prosecuting, said: "The two defendants, often with others, were involved in a campaign of terror and violence directed at David Atherton. | Patrick Harrington QC, prosecuting, said: "The two defendants, often with others, were involved in a campaign of terror and violence directed at David Atherton. |
| "Ultimately - and almost inevitably - the result was that the two defendants killed Mr Atherton by beating him savagely and throwing him into the River Mersey." | "Ultimately - and almost inevitably - the result was that the two defendants killed Mr Atherton by beating him savagely and throwing him into the River Mersey." |
| Mr Atherton's beating was heard by a neighbour who tried to intervene | Mr Atherton's beating was heard by a neighbour who tried to intervene |
| Mr Harrington described the lives of the two teenagers as "appalling". | Mr Harrington described the lives of the two teenagers as "appalling". |
| He added: "If one were to search for a single adjective to describe their behaviour, it would be feral. They were wild and untamed." | He added: "If one were to search for a single adjective to describe their behaviour, it would be feral. They were wild and untamed." |
| The boys had been drinking and smoking cannabis when they visited Mr Atherton's flat in Howley, Warrington, on 8 May last year. | The boys had been drinking and smoking cannabis when they visited Mr Atherton's flat in Howley, Warrington, on 8 May last year. |
| A neighbour heard them beating Mr Atherton, and invited him in, but he was led away by Dodd and Palin. | A neighbour heard them beating Mr Atherton, and invited him in, but he was led away by Dodd and Palin. |
| They later boasted to friends that they "winged him into the water", meaning they each held a leg and an arm then tossed him in. | They later boasted to friends that they "winged him into the water", meaning they each held a leg and an arm then tossed him in. |
| Mr Justice Hodge sentenced Dodd and Palin to detention for life. | Mr Justice Hodge sentenced Dodd and Palin to detention for life. |
| He told them: "Your conduct was reprehensible. You both treated Mr Atherton as a punch bag. | He told them: "Your conduct was reprehensible. You both treated Mr Atherton as a punch bag. |
| "What you did was not opportunistic. It was pre-meditated. | "What you did was not opportunistic. It was pre-meditated. |
| "It was a savage attack - cruel, brutal and vicious and on a very vulnerable man." | "It was a savage attack - cruel, brutal and vicious and on a very vulnerable man." |