A regional daily has overturned a naming ban to identity two teenagers who carried out a savage sex attack on another boy.

The Citizen in Gloucester asked for reporting restrictions to be lifted in the interest of public safety, so they could identify Kane Lammin and Anthony Ford, who were both 16 when they sexually assaulted a 17-year-old in a cellar.

After the paper and chief reporter Ben Falconer broke the story in March, it drew up a list of reasons together with solicitors Foot Anstey as to why the pair should be named.

The Citizen argued that the crimes were of such a serious nature that the public should be aware of who they were, and that being so close to the age of 18, they would be released as adults after serving lengthy jail terms.

The pair were both jailed earlier this month for 10 years and Judge William Hart agreed to lift a Section 39 order preventing them being identified, in the interests of public safety, despite an objection from Lammin’s lawyer.

The court heard how the victim had cement dust rubbed in his face, knives pulled on him, was stripped and beaten with a piece of wood, had a cigarette stubbed out on him and was seriously sexually assaulted and raped.

Judge Hart described the case as “one of the most brutal, depraved and disgusting pieces of behaviour considered by this court in recent times”.

Ford, originally from Swindon, admitted rape and sexual assault by penetration, and of using threatening words or behaviour towards a witness.

Lammin, originally from Oxford, admitted assault by penetration and actual bodily harm and unrelated offences of robbery and assault with intent to rob. The pair are both now 17-years-old.

Citizen editor Jenny Eastwood said: “These two teenagers committed unspeakable crimes and we felt this justified an application to the court to see if we could lift the ban on identifying them.

“Thankfully, the judge agreed and we were able to name and shame this pair in the paper.

“My chief reporter Ben Falconer also did a great job in exclusively uncovering communication failures over the fact these boys were in the care system of different local authorities. A review has now been set up.”

When he looked further into the case, Ben discovered that all three boys were in the care of different local authorities but living in Gloucester and there were communications failures between Oxford County Council, Swindon Borough Council and Gloucestershire County Council.

The victim of the attack was being cared for by the Gloucestershire council but it was not aware the other boys were in care in the city.

A review is now being set up in Gloucestershire to address the problem of communication between local authorities which look after children and young people.