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THE figures are shocking: nearly 400 children have been convicted of murder in the UK in the last two decades.

And the youngest was just 11 years old.

Between 2008 and 2011, 81 children were convicted of the crime in England and Wales.

The children behind these gruesome deaths are often as clever and calculating as adult murderers.

Next week, a fascinating new Channel 5 documentary, Kids Who Kill, examines some of the most shocking cases.

Top criminologist Professor David Wilson, who appears in the programme, says: “Some cases are truly chilling. There are different types of child killer but some clearly show psychopathic tendencies.”

Mary Bell became infamous for the manslaughter of Martin Brown and Brian Howe in 1968 when she was aged just 10.

And the murder of two-year-old James Bulger in 1993 horrified the nation.

Here, in a true crime special, we take a look at some of Britain’s worst recent cases and talk to Professor Wilson about what turns a seemingly innocent child into a killer.

KIDS WHO KILL, on Channel 5, Thursday January 30, at 10pm.

HAMMER HORROR: 14-YEAR-OLD WHO COPIED CORRIE KILLER

Who: Daniel Bartlam

Age: 14

The crime: Daniel’s mum Jacqui split from his father when he was nine. But it was only after 2009 when the behaviour of the youngster, then 12, began to become worrying.

Jacqui had moved the family to a smaller house in Redhill, Nottingham. Daniel was also taken out of his private school and transferred to a state school.

He became reclusive, posting violent clips from his favourite soaps online, watching horror films and penning grisly stories.

Simon Matters, Jacqui’s ex-partner, says: “He would come down and show me a story, quite gory, about a kid who had killed another kid. He liked to shock people with things he did and said.

“He had many expensive figurines of Star Wars and Doctor Who characters and they would just all be ruined. He’d have plastic boxes full of figurines but he’d urinated in the boxes.

“He’d also defecated all over the bedroom in boxes. One of the things that disturbed me, but Jacqui laughed about it, I found he had a bag of her underwear. It was brushed over at the time, but later it appeared more sinister.”

On Easter Sunday, 2011, he decided to commit the perfect murder by killing his own mother.

That night, after calmly mowing the lawn and eating some Easter eggs, he sneaked into his mother’s bedroom and hit her on the head seven times with a claw hammer.

Daniel then covered her bloodied body with paper, doused it in petrol and set fire to it, hoping to destroy the evidence.

How he was caught: Daniel fled the blazing house, saving his younger brother and dog and then told police an intruder had attacked his mum.

But police found the murder weapon in Daniel’s bedroom.

They also found he had been watching video footage from ITV soap Coronation Street in which killer John Stape commits a similar crime.

Simon adds: “I still can’t believe that someone could go to those lengths at that age to do something like that, not to anybody, but his own mum.”

The outcome: In April 2012, he was jailed for life in Nottingham.

Professor Wilson’s verdict: “This is a young man who is cunning, he is cool. It’s a cluster of behaviours that would lead me to want to label him a psychopath.”

STOMACH-TURNING EVIL: THE JAMES BULGER KILLING

Who: Robert Thompson and Jon Venables

Age: 10

The crime: On February 12, 1993 two-year-old James Bulger went missing from outside a butcher’s shop in the Strand Shopping Centre in Bootle, Merseyside.

At around 3.40pm his mum Denise had turned away to pay for some meat and found James gone when she turned back.

But James hadn’t just wandered off.

He had been led away by two 10-year-olds who had been playing truant – Robert Thompson and the “angelic-looking” Jon Venables.

They took him to the upper floor of the shopping centre and then outside.

The next day James’ distraught parents made an emotional TV appeal for the return of their son.

But, two days later on February 14, James’ body was found three miles from the shopping centre on the embankment of a freight railway line.

It emerged that after being abducted James had been stripped from the waist.

Paint had been thrown in his eyes and he had been beaten to death with bricks and an iron bar.

It had been an horrific attack resulting in skull fractures and a total of 42 separate injuries.

His body had even been carefully placed so that it might be hit by a train and his death could then appear to be an accident.

How they were caught: Chilling, grainy CCTV images showed James being led by the hand from the shopping centre.

A member of the public eventually identified them and Robert and Jon were arrested on February 18.

They were taken to separate police stations, though detectives were still unconvinced that two young children could commit such a gruesome murder.

But paint found on the boys’ clothes was matched to that on James’ body and his blood was on the suspects’ shoes.

During questioning both boys initially denied they were involved and then blamed each other.

Finally Jon confessed and the two of them were charged.

The outcome: When the pair went on trial at Preston Crown Court an angry mob threw stones outside, with many branding the boys “evil” and “freaks of nature”.

The judge described their crime as an act of “unparalleled evil and barbarity”.

They were convicted on November 24, 1993, becoming the youngest murders in modern English criminal history.

They were both ordered to stay in custody until they were 18 and released on a lifelong licence in 2001 with new identities.

In 2010 Jon Venables was recalled to prison after he was found in possession of child pornography.

Professor Wilson’s verdict: “The level of violence used against James was extreme.

“They were clearly conscious of the fact that what they were doing was wrong.

“They understood what they had done and, therefore, could be legally held responsible.”

DARE THAT LED TO MURDER

Who: Connor Doran, Simon Evans and Brandon Doran.

Ages: 14-17

The crime: The Doran brothers were from a troubled background and only rarely went to school.

Their mother, Linda, was a pathetic and tragic character, who had no control over her sons.

Connor and Brandon’s older brother Ryan, 23, was already in prison for murdering a stranger with a bottle in a fish and chip shop.

And the younger brothers spent much of their time roaming the streets of Liverpool in darkness.

On the night of August 17, 2012, the boys were running wild through the streets of the city as usual with their friend Simon.

At 5.30am they were outside an Iceland supermarket in Walton where they found homeless Kevin Bennett, 53, sleeping rough in a doorway.

Connor, 17, said to Simon, 14: “I bet you haven’t got it in you to do him in.”

Then, while Brandon, 14, far right, kept watch, Connor and Simon, middle, proceeded to kick Kevin to death. Connor even climbed on to a storage cage so he could jump on his chest.

Suffering a fractured eye socket, a collapsed lung and a broken ribcage Kevin died in hospital six days later from blood poisoning.

How they were caught: The morning after the attack, Simon confessed to his mother that “something terrible” had happened.

He also told a friend: “I started kicking him, I booted him, now he’s dead.”

CCTV showed the three boys leaving the murder scene checking Connor’s trousers for blood stains.

After being arrested they tried to blame each other for the murder.

The outcome: In April 2013, at Liverpool Crown Court, all three were sentenced for murder despite denying killing their victim.

“Pack leader” Connor was sentenced to a minimum of 12 years, Simon to eight years and Brandon, for six.

Linda Doran, 42, was jailed for 30 months for perverting justice after providing false alibis.

She had told detectives that Connor had been sick in bed at the time of the murder.

Judge Clement Goldstone said: “I think it is a desperately sad reflection on this society that each of you was party to serious violence purely for the sake of it.”

Professor Wilson’s verdict: “If you’re a child growing up in an environment in which you’re told violence is desirable, you’re going to express that in your own behaviour.

BRITAIN'S YOUNGEST CONTRACT KILLER

Who: Santre Sanchez Gayle

Age: 15

The crime: Santre Sanchez Gayle came from a dysfunctional family and had been left to fend for himself from a young age.

His half-brother and cousin had already been convicted over other killings and he was part of a criminal gang in North West London called the Kensal Green Boys.

Known by his street name “Riot” the Xbox-obsessed 15-year-old had convictions for violence and robbery and was out to gain status with fellow gang members.

In 2010 he was approached by another man, Izak Billy, to kill a complete stranger, Turkish mum Gulistan Subasi.

The 26-year-old was in Britain to visit her six-year-old son who lived in London.

On March 21 Santre carried out a reconnaissance of the flat of Gulistan’s mother in Hackney where she was staying.

The next evening, at 8.30pm, he arrived by taxi carrying a sawn-off shotgun.

Santre rang the doorbell. Gulistan went to the open it hoping that it was her son who she was hoping to give a present for his birthday.

When his victim opened the door Santre calmly and efficiently blasted her in the chest, leaving a tennis ball-sized wound.

He then fled the scene.

Poor Gulistan died in her mother’s arms. Paid just £200 to carry out the coldblooded killing, the twisted teenager then used his fee to buy a gold Dolce and Gabbana beanie hat.

How he was caught: The crime was caught on CCTV but the unknown culprit was careful to disguise himself in a hooded white boiler suit, left.

It appeared to be the work of a professional hitman.

At first Gulistan’s estranged husband was thought to be behind the murder but he was later acquitted.

Santre would almost certainly have got away with the shooting if he hadn’t boasted about it to a friend who then went to the police.

When detectives arrested Santre they were amazed to discover that the nonchalant killer was just 15.

The outcome: Showing no remorse, Santre denied murder at his trial at the Old Bailey. But in May 2011 he was jailed for a life with minimum term of 20 years. Judge Stephen Kramer described his crime as “an efficient, ruthless and calculated execution”.

Izak Billy, then 22, was also convicted of murder. Police still believe it was a hit, but to this day it’s unclear who might have ordered Gulistan’s murder.

Professor Wilson’s verdict: “His is the most chilling case for me. His confidence and calmness is unbelievable. This was a well planned crime and if he hadn’t wanted to brag to others he would have got away with it.”

SLAUGHTER IN RUSH HOUR

Who: A gang of 20 teenagers.

Ages: 15-18

The crime: They seemed like role model students studying for their A-levels at St Charles Catholic sixth form in West London.

But for this particular group of teenagers a dangerous pack mentality had kicked in as they whipped themselves into a murderous frenzy over a feud with another school in Fulham.

The night before they murdered a 15-year-old boy, the culprits planned what they were going to do on social media sites.

One even sourced a set of knives at Argos during her school lunchbreak.

Then, on March 25 2010, the gang of teenagers headed for London’s Victoria Station, to defend what they saw as their “territory”.

Many wore a single glove to identify themselves.

They were armed with knives, metal bars and even a samurai sword for the clash.

Schoolboy and promising footballer Sofyen Belamouadden was unlucky to become the target of their wrath.

They chased him down an escalator and into the station’s ticket hall, where a smaller group pushed him to the floor and then hacked and kicked him to death.

The brutal 12-second attack was acted out brazenly in front of hundreds of commuters.

The Rev Canon Anthony Ball, who witnessed the attack, said: “I saw one of the attackers had a long implement in their hand and they made a kind of stabbing motion on the boy who was being attacked.

“He was trying to get himself off the floor and he was just being kicked and attacked.

"After the stabbing the attackers kind of fled and the boy was left on the floor. He had no chance...”

Sofyen, stabbed nine times, suffered wounds to his heart, a lung and major blood vessels. He was rushed to hospital but doctors could not save him.

How they were caught: The police went through hours of CCTV footage to identify the culprits and analysed communications between them on Facebook and via BlackBerry Messenger.

Initially all 20 were initially charged with murder in the biggest joint-enterprise murder prosecution ever brought to court in England and Wales.

The outcome: After several trials over two years three of the teenagers were convicted of murder.

Ringleaders Samson Odegbune and Christopher Omoregie, who were 16 at the time and Obi Nwokeh, who was 17, were sentenced to minimum terms of 18 years behind bars in April 2012.

Five others were convicted of manslaughter including the only woman to be charged, Victoria Oseteku, 18, who had sourced the knives and was seen on CCTV kicking Sofyen in the head as he lay dying.

Nine others were convicted of lesser charges and three were cleared. In total the jail terms handed out added up to 140 years behind bars.

Professor Wilson’s verdict: “A pack mentality can make children behave in a way that they might never dream of if they were on their own. It tends to escalate your behaviour rather than control your behaviour. Being part of a gang can make you feel invincible.”

THE VICTIMS WHO SURVIVED THE DEVIL BROTHERS

Who: Two twisted brothers nicknamed “The Devils”

Ages: 10 and 11

The crime: The brothers behind the notorious Edlington attacks already had a reputation for bad behaviour, including animal cruelty, and attacking a teacher and another young boy.

In 2009, the pair, who still cannot be named for legal reasons, took things a stage further. On Saturday April 4 they targeted two boys aged 11 and nine who were out riding their BMX bikes.

The boys – an uncle and nephew – were persuaded to go to a piece of waste ground near Edlington in South Yorkshire, where in a senseless 90-minute attack the ‘Devils’ viciously tortured them.

The victims were beaten, burned and strangled with any weapons that came to hand including sticks, broken glass and barbed wire.

One was stripped naked and forced to perform a sex act. Lumps of a broken sink were dropped on the head of the older boy.

Some of the attack was filmed on a mobile phone. The culprits then fled, leaving the other boys for dead.

The younger victim was later found wandering in the street with knife wounds while the 11-year-old was discovered lying face down on a muddy river bank. A doctor who the older boy’s injuries as life-threatening.

How they were caught: The “Devils” were arrested the next day at their father’s allotment.

Confessing to the attack, they told police they had only stopped when they became too tired to continue.

Asked why they did it one said: “Cos there were nowt to do.”

The outcome: In January 2010 at Sheffield Crown Court the judge described the attacks as “appalling and terrible” but decided showed no emotion as they were locked up for a minimum of five years – convicted for causing grievous bodily harm with intent.

Professor Wilson’s verdict: “This has echoes of the Bulger case. Again we’re dealing with two children who encourage two younger boys to go with them to waste ground where they subjected them to an horrific attack.

“They came from a dysfunctional family where violence was the order of the day; it was a recipe for disaster.”

THE EXPERT VIEW

TV CRIMINOLOGIST Professor David Wilson, from Birmingham City University, says: “Some children, like Daniel Bartlam, are incredibly charming and present a very plausible to story to the police.

"He had difficulty separating reality and fantasy and can be labelled psychopathic.

“But in my view, when children kill it’s always a mixture of factors including characteristics they are born with and because of the kind of environment or influences they have grown up in.

“The difference between child and adult murderers is that it is possible for kids to grow out of the behaviours that led them to kill in the first place.

"In the Bulger case, for example, Robert Thompson seems to have modified his behaviour, while Jon Venables hasn’t.

“We have to be prepared to intervene in these youngsters’ lives. Parents, neighbours and schools all have a role to play in taking notice of unacceptable behaviour and to look for the warning signs.

“But, however chilling these cases might be, we should also bear in mind that they are rare and that children are still more likely to be the victims of murder than the perpetrators.”