the corner office

The story of the two boys who've just been convicted for torturing two other boys is disturbing. What sort of children could do such a thing, we ask ourselves?

This is how the BBC, under a big heading 'Smoked cannabis', described them:

From the age of nine the older brother smoked cannabis and drank cider...

According to the Evening Standard:

Now aged 12, the elder brother was a 20-a-day smoker who regularly drank vodka, lager and cider from the age of nine.

He also smoked marijuana grown on his father's allotment ...

I don't think that 9 year old children should be drinking or smoking anything. I do think the BBC's version betrays a bit of an agenda.