The age of criminal responsibility was set at 10 years old many, many years ago. These days children are far more advanced in their intellect, (possibly part due to parents wanting to 'dress' them up to copy celebrities and act more mature etc), and therefore know at an earlier age what is right and what is wrong. I don't hold with this reasoning that 'they were only 10'. They knew what they were doing was wrong! Plain, simple and undeniable!
Stuff this nonsense about them coming from broken homes, living in squalor, watching violent prnography! It doesn't wash with me! I lived, (still do but different home), very close to where they lived and where they commited this evil act. I was friends with one of the officers on the case and he has told me things that were never in the press and things that were exaggerated by the press. Their defence was a load of blox!
They should have been sentenced to life with no chance of parole at the very start! If my son had done it he would have been disowned by me and made to face the full consequences of his actions!