murder murder committed england december sixteen year old died december multiple organ failure arising eighty percent burns deliberately set fire december death related previously kidnapped kept prisoner seven days house manchester beaten tortured taken house car driven countryside forced car virtually naked wood low petrol poured set torture murder arose trivial grievances sexual insult infection loss pink coat detectives conducting inquiry said sheer brutality crime ranked alongside torture inflicted children murderers case went trial november received comparatively little publicity coincided trial murder december aged husband aged aged sentenced life imprisonment parts murder aged jailed years false imprisonment brother aged sentenced years false imprisonment conspiracy cause harm years old time murder found guilty murder sentenced detained majesty pleasure section act background described gentle easily influenced girl years old spent time care local authority mother stepfather separated older sister stayed stepfather time began attendance final years schooling described erratic increasingly spent time house lived small victorian house dealt drugs involved handling stolen motor vehicles briefly lived moved august like evil new friends particularly recently moved doors away number children subsequently moved children shared bed dining room children continued stay regularly frequently bullied sister said scared separated husband remained friendly visit regularly nearby home boyfriend year old having sexual intercourse sexually involved regular visitor house frequent visitor house younger brother events leading murder kidnap trial emerged kidnapped trivial reasons claimed tried persuade sleep man money contracted believed bed believed taken pink coat belonged november contracted hair shaved told thought caught believed said later told thought got december lured home waiting grabbed soon arrived held shaved head clean hair place placed plastic bag head walked round hitting head kicked lay floor women took turns beating foot long wooden instrument belt taken bathroom forced hair ritual humiliation revenge having caused claimed shaved locked overnight following morning taken upstairs locked december transferred house concern children disturbed crying tied bed electrical room torture days subjected series violent acts increasing severity brutality time passed regularly beaten injected burned cigarettes rave music particular minute long remix wanna play volts featuring samples movie child play played maximum volume commence torture session phrase coming play soon words scream point week called house shown tied bed time lying days placed bath containing concentrated stiff brush sufficient force remove skin extract teeth police later found house like kind trophy said stood doorway cliff took gag told open mouth said right going rip teeth started hitting teeth got started pulling snapped hit times pulled pulled head forward snap tooth laughing missed opportunities rescue asked sit house heard shout shut room asked going shown said sort cloth face covering nose bit dried blood lip hair hill said heard talking work pulling teeth pair later left house pleaded said asked help told couldn asked said asked said couldn later claimed afraid intervene raise alarm saying thought batter said got wouldn didn know shocked held house met sister help repair car said told door kicked got think capable want minutes room murder finally agreed removed house told stepfather going report police missing person early hours december forced boot stolen white car driven miles narrow lane near outskirts car journey pushed embankment patch poured petrol stated fell said pushed hill poured petrol difficulty getting petrol asked paper handed folded envelope attempted light use failed attempts said end went lighter lit lit went straight flames screaming flames lit forest began sing burn baby burn burn baby burn song dead returned house stopping buy drinks way house arrived stated cliff asked said yes laughing gave cliff lighter naming attackers death died immediately murderers believed left managed scramble embankment lane approximately quarter mile road found colleagues way work told field burnt petrol immediately took nearby house residents michael ambulance said hands appeared like ash legs like raw meat feet appeared badly struck victim constantly wife assistance said went arms pulled away bear touched head shaved recent new cuts head face hands red raw black legs red couldn bear near legs drank glasses water unable hold glass injuries hands said looked like victim attack vietnam war felt survive theory got helped live rushed hospital able names address falling coma extent burns mother stepfather unable recognise positively identified partial thumb hands severely burned died december regaining consciousness arrests inquiry led greater manchester police december instructed officers attend arrest found laughed joked arrested initially denied involvement questioning urged father tell truth began talk said statement story began couldn believe kept asking human police officers extent suffering revealed civilian staff station police collected cash send flowers hospital december accused appeared manchester custody charged kidnapping attempted murder following death charged murder december opened january testified suffered cent burns consistent having petrol thrown set chance survival minimal clear outset unlikely survive suffered widespread burns led complications internally death complications caused burns said clear young girl suffered great deal pain chance survival fortunately survive long information led people mentioned charged death mother stepfather said offer behalf behalf nation deepest sympathy tragic happening young daughter convictions trial commenced november lasted days denied murder defendant tried crime november cleared murder directions judge jury began december took hours minutes reach justice said convicted clear evidence murder murder possible imagine sentences guilty murder life imprisonment minimum years guilty conspiracy cause harm years pleaded guilty false imprisonment years guilty murder life imprisonment minimum years guilty conspiracy cause harm years pleaded guilty false imprisonment years guilty murder life imprisonment minimum years guilty conspiracy cause harm years guilty false imprisonment years pleaded guilty false imprisonment years acquitted murder acquitted conspiracy cause harm guilty murder detained indefinitely minimum years guilty conspiracy cause harm years pleaded guilty false imprisonment years pleaded guilty conspiracy cause harm years pleaded guilty false imprisonment years acquitted murder sentences announced women cries yes yes public gallery filled relatives victim statement press sentencing said psychological reports absolutely individuals frightening ordinary people special appeals appealed sentence reduced years years november minimum cut years years appealed arguing reduction insufficient lord chief justice failed reflect continuing obligation regard welfare lord justice dismissed second appeal november moved open prison granted leave lengths minimum sentences reviewed june sentence reduced year prison controversy incarcerated prison durham routine security check uncovered letters revealed having affair prison governor married officer resigned position disciplinary action taken sharing wing immediately transferred prison new hall releases prison freed early sentence released licence released prison december reactions social environment wide commentary news media social situation writing times focused manchester apparent economic pointing city growth hosting international environmental conferences bidding host olympic games disguise realities poor quality built collapse housing city council policy poverty street violence drug culture played parts events leading murder city said violent areas expect created drug abuse populated people don work money rarely leave houses find living dark highlighted city contrasts expensive canal faster count joke town day gaze corpses floating past writing guardian similarly drew attention housing policies quoted older resident saying people moving months half having kids daily mail called ideological described killers product society petty crime break families spending social security belong grave threat britain future author agreed looking answers crime came need look women single parents children mid twenties teenage barely legal supported drug dealing theft moral panic davis noted unusual situation gang involved females leaders following convictions wider press speculation girl gangs rise violent crime committed young women probation service organisations found bombarded requests journalists seeking case histories illustrate apparent explosion style girl gang culture streets britain senior probation officer dismissed notion saying woman immediately great moral panic people think epidemic statistics research produced increase number women jailed offences involving violence association assistant general secretary said like women involved murder group characterised neglect personal abuse drug alcohol abuse low self esteem victim violence problem needs help signs change evidence age group girls likely pleasure violence boys indication face far female violence future girls grow despite focus female perpetrators time crime trial davis pointed cases like involved female male female role invariably forgotten time apparent appeals reported national press manchester newspapers named killers involved reports simply referred violent gang belonged probably wouldn occurred newer readers gang included female thought allegedly stolen coat excuse torture death video moral panic confined solely gender murderers role played called video news media immediately connection murder trial murder trial horror movie child play look stalking mentioned said interviews accused suggestion reason killed child play overlooked headlines demonic doll links horror crimes curse owned video recorder child play inspired music torture popular track time taped direct manchester called video connection false story branded consciousness media questioned news media fascination film reason believe alive today instead contained torture scene king child play hare running day murder trial argued film simply press course meal guardian reported year olds watched explained figure simply projection based average actual viewers reporting panel margin error means good running story asking figures mean april professor published video violence report attracted huge media interest claims definitively established long sought link screen violence real life variety cited murder example despite support press report failed demonstrate definitive link merely drawing highly speculative accounts press independent hand research called oral evidence asserted case example explicit imitation video use video child play chairman committee sir point incorrect police ruled connection movie murder link murders news media directly led delay release certification natural born killers
Murder of Suzanne Capper