THE detectives who investigated Sophie Lancaster’s death described the case as one of the ‘worst they had ever worked on’.

Five teenagers were jailed for their role in the attack which happened on August 11, 2007.

Ryan Herbert, who was 15 at the time, was given a 16 year and three month sentence after pleading guilty to murder. This was later reduced to 15 years and six months on appeal.

His accomplice Brendan Harris, who was also 15, was given a minimum of 18 years, after being convicted of murder at a trial held at Preston Crown Court.

At the time of the trial in March 2008, the court heard from dozens of witnesses including a teenage girl who had phoned the ambulance.

The court heard Sophie and Robert had been chatting with a group of teenagers and drifted into Bacup’s Stubbylee Park when the mood changed suddenly and the five boys turned on Robert.

As Sophie, 20, was cradling Robert she was kicked and stamped on.

The girl who made the 999 call was just 14 at the time.

Jurors heard how she begged the emergency operator not to tell anyone she had made the call in fear of what the 'Bacup lot' would do.

Another teenager, who was friends with one of the attackers, described how he pleaded with the gang to stop and how he and a girl used a tee shirt to try and stop the flow of blood while they waited for an ambulance to come.

Judge Anthony Russell, who sentenced the five, said at the time their behaviour ‘degrades humanity itself’.

He said: “This was feral thuggery. It raises serious questions about the sort of society which exists in this country at the start of a new millennium which was heralded with such optimism.”

He also lifted an order banning the press from identifying them.

At the height of the investigation around 40 police officers and staff were assigned to the case.

Investigating officers told after the trial how they knew who they were looking for thanks to the bravery of the yobs’ own friends who gave evidence against. Forensic evidence also put them at the scene.

Brothers Joseph, then 17, and Danny Hulme, 16 at the time, were jailed for five years and 10 months each and Daniel Mallett, then 17, was jailed for four years and four months after they all pleaded guilty to grievous bodily harm with intent on Mr Maltby. They have since been released.