Two brothers who attacked two boys in a sadistic 90-minute ordeal of violence and sexual humiliation have been sentenced to a minimum of five years in custody.

The pair, who are aged 11 and 12 and who cannot be named, attacked their victims in Edlington in South Yorkshire last April.

Mr Justice Keith, sentencing at Sheffield Crown Court, described the brothers' behaviour as "appalling and terrible".

"The fact is this was prolonged, sadistic violence for no reason other than that you got a real kick out of hurting and humiliating them," he said.

The brothers, who were sentenced to indeterminate period in custody, showed no emotion as the judge spoke.

The pair lured the nine and 11-year-old to a secluded spot before the torture began.

The victims - who are uncle and nephew - were strangled, hit with bricks, made to eat nettles, stripped and forced to sexually abuse each other.

The elder boy was seriously injured when pieces of a ceramic sink were dropped on his head.

The brothers had pleaded guilty to causing their victims grievous bodily harm with intent, robbery and intentionally causing a child to engage in sexual activity.

Speaking about the sexual offences, the judge said he did not think the offenders got a thrill out of them but were "part of the torture and humiliation" they wanted to inflict.

"By recording parts of what you did on a mobile, you made at least some of this an example of happy slapping," he added.

Sky's North of England correspondent Gerard Tubb said the younger offender had been described by a top psychiatrist as being in danger of becoming a "seriously disturbed psychopathic offender".

He said it was claimed the pair, who were in foster care, had grown up in a "toxic homelife".

Peter Kelson QC, representing the elder brother, said his young client watched ultra-violent films like the Saw movies and had access to pornographic DVDs.

He also drank cider, had 10 cigarettes a day and smoked cannabis grown on his father's allotment from the age of nine.

Mr Kelson described how the boys' mother told psychiatrists about years of domestic violence perpetrated by the boys' father on her and her five sons.

He highlighted one incident when her partner said he would "take a knife to her and slice her face to bits" and said the threats were made in front of the boys.

The officer in charge of the investigation said the brothers had been "not particularly shaken" or traumatised when they were interviewed.

Detective Superintendent Mick Mason said: "I think they understood what they'd done. Whether the gravity had sunk in then, I don't know. Whether it's sunk in to them since, I don't know.

"From what I'm told, they didn't show any remorse during interview."

In a statement, the families of the two victims said the events of April last year had "rocked our lives" and thanked "the people of Edlington" for helping police in the search.

SKY NEWS

I think they should keep them locked up and make us all safe in our beds. Right nutters.

Looking at the life those two have had, it shouldn't surprise anyone how they have turned out, now they have to pay the penalty. I don't think they'll cure that behaviour in 5 years, so i think it likely they will spend more time in correction. I was one of those who laughed at a report years ago suggesting that the violence in Tom and Jerry was dangerous to children's up bringing, well i changed my views years ago and its definitly harmful to children to watch some of the movies and play the games that are available now. On saying that what chance did they have, having a parent like that.

Sick, chop their balls off, works for dogs