When is information perhaps too much?

I think one family is more shattered than the other.

Many times I have been unable to sleep thinking about some of the horrible murders in the news over the years, especially of children.

I avoid reading about anything like this but it's true that the TV news seems to me to give too much information. It serves no useful purpose,in my opinion, but just upsets and depresses people. I certainly find it depressing.

Ithought the media had learnt the lesson after the furour caused when they broadcast the actual. Voice of little Ann Mcbride over the radio...there were so many people breaking down including me that they only broadcast it that one time..after that it was only in print ...with me it had a lasting effect to this day and I stiL can’t hear. The little drummer boy without tearing up...at least now we can turn tv off or not read papers but a jury has to know ALLthe nitty gritty because they have to convict. Suffer little children. God love her

Terribull You are right ..two families are shattered by this tragic case.

None of us would want to think our child would ever do such a devastating thing. It would be beyond comprehension for most of us.

He was 15 at the time of the crime, only 16 now. However, obviously a bad'un from a much earlier age. I did read that the judge said he might never be released, for which I would be very grateful.

www.mygov.scot/young-people-police/

states that
"Children aged 12 to 16 can be taken to court but only for serious crimes. Most offences committed by children of this age will be dealt with by early intervention (like a warning or help from a support organisation) or the children's hearings system."
and further down in the article states:

"if you're 16 or 17 (and don't have a compulsory supervision order) the procurator fiscal can decide whether to send your case to a criminal court" so I hope and trust the boy didn't have a compulsory supervision order, and that the procurator fiscal decides to send the case to a criminal court.

I agree all the details of the case should have been reserved for the jury and not discussed in the public press.

His face is all over the news. In some ways this is a double tragedy, the parents of this "clean cut" looking boy have to come to terms with the fact that he has committed the most appalling crime, taking the life of a sweet innocent child in the most brutal manner, it must cross their minds, "I wish he'd never been born". I also read somewhere that he killed and skinned cats and buried them in their garden. I think anyone who has a child who takes delight in torturing and killing animals should be worried. Can't help thinking this is how it begins for some killers.

*GG64 where did you read he is a narcissist? I know you were a nurse and studied law but I cannot see that information in any reports. ADHD and anxiety has been mentioned.

Well, we all who he is now now. He's a narcissist and I hope he gets a minimum 25 years and does the whole term.
That means he'll only be 41 when he gets out.

Well his name and photo have now been released.

Does knowing the name of this person lessen the tragedy or just give chance for more gossip and voyeuristic articles , social media venom etc. ? I don't know Just asking.

It is a dreadful, sad and disturbing thing to have happened. Poor, poor child. Her family will be hurting for a lifetime.

I think we do need some information because if the murderer's appalling violence was caused or encouraged by drugs, pornography , mental ill health or anything else then, as a society, we need to be shouting for some better control and treatment to prevent future tragedies.

Whilst I appreciate nobody has sympathy for the murderer I always wonder how a child got to that point 16 short years after birth. And his mother.....

I agree Vickymeldrew. Public needs to know what happened to the little girl.how can parents and family get over this well they won't I'm afraid no one could ..... I hope the murderer gets dealt with .....

You could be informed that ISIS were beheading people - but do you want to see a film of it happening?

I don't think they should release his name, because if they do, next thing will be they'll have to give him an expensive new identity when he gets out, like the Bulger killer boys. It just leads to more problems.

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

One other thing I would add is, I suppose if you don't give out any details about a crime and what occurred, it would be easy to lump it all into one and not sense any kind of 'trend'. For example, what on earth had a 16 year old boy been exposed to in his life to make him act in such a way (I will apologise that I haven't seen the details you've read/heard about this week but I am guessing they were pretty horrific). I think personally, that, although I find these cases frightening and upsetting, I would rather know if something sinister is on the increase. Maybe due to an increase in availability of porn/violent programmes/broken homes/poor schooling/sexual abuse/drug availability.

If we are not aware, how can we comment on, for example, legalising cannabis? Or availability of online pornography. On the dark net there are snuff videos, child pornography. If we don't know what goes on, we can't lobby or display our disgust at how this affects young people, can twist their minds and so on.

I am not an expert, I don't have the answers but I do like to know what I'm dealing with in life. I would probably be much happier if I didn't know these things and I respect anyone who chooses not to put themselves through it of course.

Sorry DH is getting irritable. Waiting for me to go out for some air for first time since last weekend but will return to thread later as it's very thought provoking.

I don't like to hear them myself Oldwoman70 I just wonder if knowing what type of sickos are, thankfully rarely, out there, it hits home how we need to be careful with educating our own with their safety.

I did say I had mixed feelings. Sometimes it could be seen as sensationalising a tragic event. Most things are less private these days. The Royal Family, the ins and outs of celebrity lifestyles. It does seem disrespectful at times.

However, you can avoid it if you really want to. Switch off, turn over, close the newspaper.

Thinking back to a detail of the second case I mentioned, a detail mentioned there upset me greatly. I feel a LOT angrier about the perpetrator of that crime than if I hadn't heard about it. It's a difficult one though I know.

Yes breeze some horrific crimes against children happen in their own homes - in fact most of them do. And, as in this case, are comitted by someone known to the family.
So sad

breeze Of course we need to know when these things happen and to warn children to keep them safe but do we really need to know ALL the details, isn't it enough to know that this poor child was raped and murdered. Do we really need to be told the extent of her injuries.

I have mixed feeling about this. Two cases have stuck in my mind over the years. The Bulger Case (my son was of a similar age so it touched even more of a nerve) and the case of the poor little mite who was abducted from her tent in the night. The details of her injuries has stayed with me and I found it very upsetting.

Having said all of that, I think it's better not to live in a bubble and not know what kind of sickos are out there. Not to become paranoid but to be careful. To understand this this occasionally happens and to warn our children/GC to be as safe as possible. Some horrific crimes against children happen in their own homes. But some, such as the Levi Bellfield cases, should act as a warning to young people to stay in groups and not walk alone at night.

You can avoid it if you find it too upsetting. I haven't been very well this week, spent some time in bed catching up on old recorded programmes. Although I knew of the case from when it first happened I haven't seen any news this week at all. So when I saw this thread I realised that details had been revealed and are quite obviously very distressing.

God knows what's in the mind of these crazies. And I do agree with other posters, we are too liberal. If anyone ever harmed one of my sons or GD's I would not forgive and turn the other cheek. I would want them euthanised.

If we are unaware it is easy to comment and take a view based on ignorance, sympathy for the ‘16 year old boy’ and our own more normal view of society

Not ** likely is it?

vickyI doubt anyone would have sympathy for this "16 year old boy" given he raped and murdered a child, we don't need to know the details.

It is so sad what her poor family will have to live with. I am of the opinion that UK punishment is not harsh enough to deter criminals. This boy should be hung for what he has done. Years of softy nonsense with murderers has brought us where we are today. This boys will be put of prison in no time looking for his next victim. If there was a referendum on hanging i would be voting for it for murderers like this one.