THE judge called them "monsters". There is no other description for the five teenagers who tortured a dying man for their amusement - and, more sickening still, filmed his distress to relish again later.

We are able to name and shame the perpetrators today only because we persuaded the court to lift orders banning their identity.

Yet we are prevented from publishing their photographs or detailing their full addresses and schools.

Why? Because defence lawyers successfully argued this would cause too much distress to their families.

That distress is as nothing to the ordeal suffered by the gang's victim, Roger Winfield, and the anguish of his family. Rendered helpless by what proved to be a fatal injury, Mr Winfield was subjected to humiliation and torment beyond belief.

For everyone in court, watching the gang's video of their maltreatment of this poor man was so harrowing it was almost unbearable. The youths' cackles of pleasure made a chilling contrast with his plea for mercy.

The judge blasted television programmes such as Jackass for inspiring copycat crimes. But we should also ask where was the parental guidance which enables teenagers to distinguish between coarse TV "entertainment" and real-life right and wrong?

The answer may lie in the fact that these youngsters were able to drink, smoke drugs and stay out all night.

Meanwhile, our youth justice system has been found wanting again. These yobs are shielded from the distress of having their pictures published, and will slip quietly back home within months.

Updated: 10:57 Thursday, January 20, 2005