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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Katie Weston

Britain's evil teens: Faces of murdering children whose crimes shocked the nation

A teenage schoolboy was revealed as one of Britain's youngest killers when he was jailed for the murder of Logan Mwangi yesterday.

Craig Mulligan was just 13 when he killed the five-year-old alongside his dad John Cole, 40, and Logan's mum Angharad Williamson, 31.

Logan was found dead in the River Ogmore, South Wales, in July last year with injuries similar to those from a high-speed car crash.

Mulligan's identity came to light on Thursday after an anonymity order banning the press from naming him was finally lifted.

It was further revealed that the teenage killer was once described as "pure evil" by foster carers who looked after him weeks before Logan's death.

Mulligan's identity came to light on Thursday (ITV)

He also had a history of "cruel" attacks on young children, vulnerable adults and small animals and was trained in martial arts.

As Mulligan was sentenced to life detention with a minimum of 15 years, he joined a string of baby-faced killers involved in some of the nation's most shocking crimes over the past three decades.

From the 10-year-old boys who abducted toddler James Bulger to a 15-year-old who murdered his Spanish teacher, here are some of the UK's youngest killers.

Sharon Carr - knifed a teenage hairdresser to death at the age of 12

Sharon Carr - dubbed the Devil's Daughter - became Britain's youngest female murderer when she knifed a stranger to death in 1992 at the age of 12.

She picked on Katie Rackliff, an 18-year-old hairdresser on her way back from a nightclub, and stabbed her 32 times.

Two years later Carr struck in Camberley, Surrey, by ­attacking a pupil with a knife.

Sharon Carr became Britain's youngest female murderer when she knifed a stranger to death in 1992 (Press Association)

While in a young offender institute for that crime she bragged of killing Katie and was ­convicted in 1997.

In a diary she had written: “I wish I could kill you again. Your screams turn me on.”

And another entry read: “Every night I see the Devil in my dreams but I realise it was just me.”

She was convicted of murder in 1997 and handed a life sentence with a minimum of 12 years.

Jon Venables and Robert Thompson, both 10 when they abducted and killed James Bulger

Jon Venables and classmate Robert Thompson murdered James Bulger in 1993 when they were only 10 years old.

The horrific crime shocked the nation after they abducted the two-year-old from a shopping centre in Bootle, Merseyside, when his mum let go of his hand for a few seconds.

James’ body was found two days after the boys, who were absent from school, snatched and tortured him.

The crimes of Jon Venables (left) and Robert Thompson sent a shockwave through the nation (PA)

Convicted of murder and ordered to be detained indefinitely, they were freed after eight years in 2001 with new identities, aged 18.

Thompson has not reoffended but Venables was sent back to jail in 2010 and 2017 after child sex abuse images were found on his computer.

He was turned down for parole in 2020 but has made a new bid for release.

'Reservoir Dogs' killers Mark McKeefrey, Allan Bentley and Graham Neary, all 15 when they murdered a classmate

Michael Moss was just 15 when he was subjected to agonising torture and killed by three of his classmates in a 'Reservoir Dogs-style slaying'.

The vulnerable teen had been lured to a park in 1999 by Alan Bentley, Mark McKeefry and Graham Neary, who were also 15, and had such horrifying injuries inflicted on him his body was almost impossible to recognise.

Allan Bentley waited for his victim in Moss Lane playing field (Liverpool Echo WS)

Michael knew the murderous trio as they were all pupils at the same special school - but when the youngster started going out with Bentley's ex-girlfriend, the twisted killer vowed to get revenge after watching the Quentin Tarantino film.

The teen killers even sang 'Stuck In The Middle With You' as they recreated a scene from the 1990s movie.

All three were found guilty of murder after a high profile trial and jailed for life.

But they have all been released on licence over recent years after completing the minimum tariffs of their prison sentences.

Sean Mercer shot an innocent schoolboy in a gun feud at the age of 16

Sean Mercer was 16 when he shot 11-year-old Rhys Jones in a Liverpool playground in 2007.

Rhys, who had just finished football practice, was an innocent victim amid a crime war between gun-toting rival gangs in Croxteth and Norris Green.

Mercer was 16 when he committed his crime (PA Archive/Press Association Ima)

The Everton fan died in his mother’s arms.

Mercer fled on his BMX but eventually faced justice and was jailed for murder in 2008.

He was ordered to serve at least 22 years, meaning his earliest release date was 2030, at the age of 40.

Mercer shot dead Rhys Jones (pictured) in 2007 when the schoolboy was just 11-years-old (PA)

Lorraine Thorpe was 15 when she murdered her father and another woman

Lorraine Thorpe was just 15 when she murdered her father Desmond Thorpe and a woman called Rosalyn Hunt in Ipswich in 2009.

She had become used to violence after living on the streets with her alcoholic father and constantly witnessing violent behaviour from the group of addicts they hung around with.

Thorpe became attached to the ringleader of the group, a 41-year-old man called Paul Clarke, who influenced her to commit murder.

One of the few photos of Lorraine Thorpe (copyright unknown)

Together they had repeatedly beaten and tortured Rosalyn and then smothered Desmond to death to stop him going to the police.

Both were jailed for life and Clarke died in prison in 2014.

William Cornick murdered his Spanish teacher at the age of 15

William Cornick murdered teacher Ann Maguire, 61, at Corpus Christi School in Leeds in April 2014.

The 15-year-old used a large kitchen knife to stab her repeatedly in the back after developing an inexplicable grudge against her and boasting to friends that he was going to kill her.

William Cornick murdered teacher Ann Maguire, 61, at Corpus Christi School at the age of 15 (PA)

After the murder the teenager told psychiatrists that he "couldn't give a s * " and added: "Everything I've done is fine and dandy."

In November 2014, he was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum tariff of 20 years after pleading guilty to murder.

At the time, the judge warned the teen that he may never be released from prison for the killing which was described by Mrs Maguire's widower Don as a "monumental act of cowardice and evil".

'Twilight Killers' Kim Edwards and Lucas Markham, both 14 when they murdered mum and sister

Aged just 14 Kim Edwards and Lucas Markham became the youngest double murderers in the UK.

The teenage couple killed Edwards' mum, Elizabeth, and her younger sister, Katie, and were compared to Bonnie and Clyde during their murder trial.

Markham stabbed 49-year-old Elizabeth in the neck before smothering her with a pillow.

Aged just 14 Kim Edwards and Lucas Markham became the youngest double murderers in the UK (SWNS.com)

He then killed a sleeping Katie, claiming he had no choice but to end the 13-year-old's life because he feared she would tell police what he had done.

Following their chilling crime, the teenagers - dubbed the Twilight Killers - had sex, a bath and then cuddled together to watch the Twilight film.

They were found guilty of murder in November 2016 and each sentenced to 17 and a half years behind bars.

Child killer Aaron Campbell was 16 when he murdered Alesha MacPhail

Child killer Aaron Campbell was 16 when he abducted, raped and murdered six-year-old Alesha MacPhail on the Isle of Bute in July 2018.

He had denied murdering Alesha during his trial.

Aaron Campbell was handed a life sentence (PA)
Six-year-old Alesha MacPhail, who was killed in July 2018 (Daily Record)

But after his conviction, he told psychologists he snatched her from her bed at her grandparents’ home and carried her to woods where he killed her.

Campbell's mum had discovered his movements when she checked CCTV to see if Alesha had walked past on the morning she vanished.

The teenager was handed a life sentence with a minimum of 27 years in 2019. This was reduced to 24 years on appeal.

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