Britain: Child killer Mary Bell and her teenage daughter appealed yesterday to the High Court in Britain to be granted lifelong anonymity.
Lawyers for Bell, who was 11 when she murdered two small boys in Newcastle upon Tyne, argued that the pair should remain anonymous to protect them from "risk of attack".
Speaking before yesterday's hearing in London, the mother of one of Bell's victims said she felt she was in a "no-win" situation but hoped the killer - now 46 and living under a fresh identity - would never make any money from selling her story.
In December 1968 Bell was convicted of the manslaughter of two small boys aged four and three. Mrs June Richardson (59), mother of victim Martin Brown, said: "As long as she goes away and just hides and never makes money again then she can remain anonymous.
"Too many murderers are making money out of their memoirs. But that is only because of her daughter, who should remain anonymous.
"If she is granted anonymity there should be rules ensuring she never makes any money out of this." Mrs Richardson, from Newcastle upon Tyne, said both her daughters, Linda (36), and Sharon (30), were opposed to the lifelong anonymity and believe that if Bell is refused there will be massive interest but it will soon die down.
She added: "My first thoughts were to let her have her anonymity and she might go away and never be heard of again but then again if she loses her anonymity she will be free to sell her story and her picture and will make money again."
At a High Court hearing last year Mr Edward Fitzgerald QC, said that Bell and her daughter would require protection "both from the risk of attack and for the protection of their private life and the rehabilitation of the mother". A decision in the case will not be given until after Easter. - (PA)