Two boys from Yateley who went on a violent rampage through a Sandhurst farm, killing and abusing animals, have been spared custodial sentences.

Basingstoke Magistrates' Court heard on Wednesday how a witness to the attack was left “traumatised” by thoughts his family would be next.

The boys, who cannot be named for legal reasons, killed nine fowl, threw stones and bricks at other animals, and hit a goat on the head so hard and so many times that its horns came off.

The StarCourier applied to magistrates to have reporting restrictions lifted to allow the boys to be identified.

After deliberating for 45 minutes the bench refused, saying the offences were so serious that the safety of the children and their families would be at risk if the boys’ names were published.

One boy, who was aged 11 at the time of the attack but is now 12, was given a 12-month referral order, which means he is required to attend regular meetings with a special youth panel.

Magistrates ordered the other boy, also 12, to be supervised by a youth offending team for 12 months.

Animals jumped on

On June 2, the pair entered Trilakes farm, in Yateley Road, after it had shut for the night.

The court heard how one volunteer, Paul Quillian, had remained at the farm with his young daughter to feed the birds and chickens.

Maureen Truss, prosecuting, said Mr Quillian was alerted to the attack by the noises of the animals and went to investigate.

“When he entered the pen where the pigs and chickens are kept he saw an awful scene,” said Mrs Truss.

“The hose was uncoiled and water was running. Chickens were lying dead on the floor.

“When he saw the state of some of the other animals, Mr Quillian realised that the boys had been jumping up and down on them.”

Mrs Truss said that as Mr Quillian looked around the rest of the farm he found other injured animals.

“A brick was lying inside the goat pen and it had obviously been thrown at the animals,” added Mrs Truss.

It has cost the farm more than £500 to replace the animals killed in the attacks.

"Very serious"

Mrs Truss read a statement from Mr Quillian. In it, he said he had been left devastated by what happened.

“I was unable to sleep for two nights and I was traumatised by the thought that these boys might attack my family, because I had seen what they were capable of,” he told police.

Court chairman Ester Macdonald asked one of the boys if he understood how serious his offence was.

“Can you think of anything more serious?” she asked. “No,” replied the boy. “To be honest I can’t.”

The other boy, who cannot read or write, also admitted disorderly behaviour for his part in an attack on March 31 when a dog and its owner were attacked.

Sentencing the boys, Mrs Macdonald said they had committed “very serious” offences.

“Your sentences reflect the sentence that would have been passed on an adult,” she told them.