
Inside notorious crime boss Steven ‘Bonzo' Daniel's rise to power – and the brutal machete attack that left him for dead
Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
May 18th, 2017 started off as just another day for gangland hood Steven 'Bonzo' Daniel.
But little did he know he was about to be left brutally scarred and fighting for his life. Every move he made was being watched, every turn tracked by ruthless enemies hungry for power.
12
Steven 'Bonzo' Daniel pictured after the brutal assassination bid
12
CCTV shows the moment Bonzo was chased in his taxi during a deadly hunt from rivals
From the stands of Ibrox watching Rangers play Aberdeen, Bonzo left the game, dropping off taxi tycoon pal Stevie 'The Fat Controller' Malcolm on the way home.
But the quiet Glasgow streets soon transformed into a deadly hunting ground.
An Audi S3 and a VW Golf materialized in his rearview mirror – the rival Lyons gang, relentless in their pursuit.
They knew his every move, thanks to tracking devices hidden on his vehicle.
A high-speed chase erupted, tearing through the city, red lights ignored as two worlds collided. From Milton to the M8 at Port Dundas, the 100 miles per hour pursuit escalated until Bonzo crashed on a ramp, trapped.
What followed was a brutal, targeted assault. Cleavers, machetes, a claw hammer – wielded with savage intent.
Bonzo's face became a canvas of carnage: deep lacerations, a nose left hanging, damage so severe police initially mistook it for a gunshot wound. With fractured bones and a dislocated skull – Bonzo was left for dead, his attackers vanishing into the night.
This is the story of Glasgow's 'Scarface' - Steven 'Bonzo' Daniel.
HEIR TO THE THRONE
By the time of the brutal execution attempt, Bonzo had risen to the head of the notorious Glasgow crime clan the Daniels - amassing an intricate web of allies as he sought to take the criminal empire from strength to strength.
He took over the reins following the death of his uncle, feared crime boss Jamie Daniel a year earlier.
Jamie - who at one stage had amassed an empire worth £10million - began his criminal career dealing in used cars and scrap metal in Glasgow's Possilpark.
He and his brothers formed a major heroin syndicate - which went on to wage a deadly drugs war in Glasgow with bitter enemies the Lyons family - led by Godfather Eddie Lyons Senior.
12
Steven 'Bonzo' Daniel rose to the top of his family's notorious crime clan
12
Jamie Daniel had amassed a wide-spanning criminal empire before his death
12
Eddie Lyons Senior, the godfather crime boss of the rival Lyons clan
Credit: The Sun
But his world came crashing down when, in 2010, was diagnosed with cancer, before eventually passing away in July 2016.
The 58-year-old's death sparked fears the clan would plummet into civil war as rivals battled to seize control.
But Bonzo - son of crime queen Annette Daniel, Jamie's sister - took charge, calling the shots as he ran their multi million pound drug dealing empire and legitimate businesses - - making him the obvious target for the rival Lyons clan hoping to take over the Glasgow drugs trade.
Bonzo was born into crime and has lived that life but some underworld sources claim it's not a natural fit for him.
12
Bonzo's mum, crime queen Annette Daniel
12
Francis 'Fraggle' Green was viewed by some as a more obvious head of the Daniel clan
His cousin Francis 'Fraggle' Green - son of Jamie - is viewed by some as a more obvious head of the family.
One source said: "Because of Bonzo's nickname and what happened to his face he gets most of the attention.
"But many think Fraggle is the more natural crime boss.
"Bonzo would rather spend time with his partner and kids and go to Ibrox to watch his beloved Rangers than be mired in feuds and constantly looking over his shoulder.
"But given who his relatives are there was never any realistic prospect of a normal life.
"He obviously has connections to some very dangerous people so he'll always get respect through that.
"But he's not a wild gangster type who flaunts violence and wealth. That's not his style."
BONZO BUTCHERED
His rise to the top of the crime family wasn't short of drama.
He was lucky not to be jailed after being cleared following a major probe into the Daniel crime clan which saw his cousin Zander Sutherland - his uncle Jamie's son - jailed for drug dealing in June 2015.
And his brother Robert, a convicted drug dealer, was ambushed by a gang of gunmen during a drive-by shooting in Stepps, just outside Glasgow in 2017.
Within weeks, the Lyons had turned their attention to Bonzo… knowing the execution of the kingpin could unravel the rival empire - a prime opportunity to take control of the drugs trade.
12
Bonzo was chased in his taxi at speed of up to 100mph
12
Bonzo was left maimed and narrowly escaped alive
After being left maimed by the gang and narrowly escaping alive, Bonzo was taken to the nearby Royal Infirmary — where a team led by Dr Mark Ansell saved his life with 12 hours of surgery.
The world-renowned surgeon would later tell how Bonzo's face was so mangled he had to insert a tube in his throat to help him breathe.
Dr Ansell said: 'His nose was hanging off on the left-hand side, near to his left ear.
'He had extensive injuries, all located in the mid-face area.'
Driver Mohammad Khan, who stopped to help the stricken ex-taxi boss, said: 'His face was in a mess, a total mess. His face was hanging off, you could see his nose bone.
'He couldn't speak. I thought he was going to die.'
Bonzo would later undergo around 40 hours of pioneering surgery over the course of two years to save his butchered face.
An underworld insider at the time told The Scottish Sun: 'Bonzo is extremely lucky to be alive.
'It's a painstakingly slow process, but his face is now being put back together by one of the best surgeons in the world.
'The scarring to his face has already improved massively but there is still a long way still to go.'
Among the brutal facial reconstruction ops Bonzo has endured included inserting metal plates and screws to eye sockets and re-attaching his nose.
A titanium mesh was put into his skull, Bonzo's upper and lower jaw were reconnected, deep cuts across his cheeks were repaired and his damaged ears were operated on.
In the period following the attack, Bonzo was guarded round the clock amid fears of another attempt on his life.
A cop patrol car was also stationed outside his home in the Bishopbriggs area of the city.
LYONS IN THE DOCK
And detectives soon had their first breakthrough when a car used in the assassination attempt was later found in Forge Street, in the Germiston area of Glasgow.
A second car was later found alight in Balmuildy Road, Bishopbriggs.
Officers swooped on properties across the city and six members of the Lyons gang were arrested.
12
A burnt out car was found - before cops swooped on properties linked to the Lyons clan
12
Robert Pickett, Andrew Gallacher, Brian Ferguson, Andrew Sinclair, John Hardie and Peter Bain were all jailed
Brian Ferguson, Andrew Gallacher, Robert Pickett, Andrew Sinclair, John Hardie, and Peter Bain, were all put in the dock at the high court in Glasgow, accused of trying to kill members of the Daniel clan.
The trial lasted 14 weeks and cost the taxpayer £6m. The six men were all convicted of conspiracy to murder .
Brian Ferguson , Andrew Gallacher, and John Hardie were all jailed for 20 years.
Robert Pickett was locked up for 16 years while Peter Bain was sentenced to 15 years - and turned to give the thumbs up to someone in the gallery as he was handed his sentence - while Andrew Sinclair was jailed for 13 years and three months.
Lord Mulholland told them: 'Steven Daniel gave evidence and said that he was not aware of a feud between the Lyons and Daniel families.
'I did not believe a word and, more importantly, neither did the jury.'
12
Ross 'Miami' McGill is now waging war
Bonzo's brazen testimony underscored the belief the feud would be settled on the streets - rather than in the courtroom - highlighting the deep-seeded animosity between the two clans and the desire for revenge.
And while the members of Lyons gang were put away for a long time, Bonzo fought back to lead the Daniel Crime clan - which is once again locked in an explosive battle with their rivals - led by Steven Lyons, and Dubai based gangster Ross 'Miami' Mcgill.
McGill - a former chief of the Union Bears - has waged a several-month long gang war spilling out across central Scotland over a half a million pound cocaine deal - which has seen shootings, machete attacks, and homes torched and firebombed over the battle for control of drug trade.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Scottish Sun
29 minutes ago
- Scottish Sun
Brits to be blocked from adult content TONIGHT with booze-style ID or face-scan checks replacing ‘ridiculous' tickbox
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) MILLIONS of Brits will be blocked from adult content online at midnight tonight unless they pass booze-style age checks. The new rules mean you'll need to prove you're over 18 – including by showing ID or scanning your face with a phone. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 New online rules aim to stop youngsters being exposed to dodgy online content Credit: Getty It affects any websites showing porn, or content linked to self-harm, suicide, or eating disorders. This includes social media apps too. The new Ofcom rules enforce the Online Safety Act, and kick in on Friday, July 25. 'It's really the rubber hitting the road,' Oliver Griffiths, group director for online safety at Ofcom, told The Sun. 'The situation at the moment is often ridiculous because people just have to self-declare what their birthday is. That's no check at all.' Major websites like PornHub, X (formerly Twitter), and Reddit have already vowed to follow the rules. Reddit will remain open, but will require an age check if you attempt to view adult content on the site. Shockingly, around 8% of children aged eight to 14 have accessed online porn in a given month, Ofcom says. Boys are more likely to visit than girls (at 19% vs 11%). Now Ofcom can crack down on this behaviour, by blocking youngsters from accidentally stumbling on all kinds of adult content – not just porn. 'One is pornography. The other one is making sure that we've got highly effective age assurance in place for things that aren't illegal but are highly harmful for children,' Griffiths said, speaking to The Sun. 'So that could be suicide content, self-harm, or eating disorders. Don't risk ignoring four free iPhone tricks built to save your life 'And we will be starting an enforcement programme next week if there are websites dedicated to that who haven't got proper age gates in place for midnight tonight.' CHECK YOURSELF There are three main ways that Brits will be asked to prove their age. The first one is called an 'age estimation'. This can work by scanning your face with an approved third-party service like Yoti or Persona. 3 Yoti is one of the tools that can be used to estimate a user's age Credit: Free for editorial use Or it could be estimating your age with an email check that examines if it's been linked to a household utility bill. The second option is linking back to info that's held on you. For instance, it could be checking with your bank or mobile phone company – both of which would already know if you're an adult or not. A simple computer handshake works out if you're a child or not, and then you can be cleared for access if you get the go-ahead. The third method is sharing an official document – a bit like showing your ID at the till in a supermarket. You might be asked to show your passport or driver's license online. SAFE SPACE? This might all sound like a privacy nightmare, especially if you're watching X-rated content online. But the adult websites don't actually get the personal info about you. 3 Ofcom has warned that too many children are being exposed to adult content online Credit: Getty And the age-checking services aren't learning what kind of content you're trying to view either. The age-check is compliant with data protection, and simply gives the adult website a 'yes' or 'no' for your account. You'll remain anonymous and won't have your online habits linked to your identity when you do oe of these checks. Griffiths noted: 'The key bit of information that's needed is purely: is this user a child or not?' Companies are able to choose the method they want – but they can't opt out. If they breach the new rules, they face massive fines. 'These can lead, in the end, to fines of up to 10% of qualifying global revenue for these companies,' Griffiths said. 'So there's real teeth that sit behind this." THE SHOCKING STATS Latest figures show the scale of adult content consumption online... Ofcom stats: Around 8% children aged 8-14 in the UK visited an online porn site or app in a month. 15% of 13–14-year-olds accessed online porn in a month. Boys aged 13-14 are the most likely to visit a porn service, significantly more than girls the same age (19% vs 11%). Our research tells us that around three in ten (29%) or 13.8m UK adults use porn online. Pornhub is the most used site in the UK – Ofcom research says 18% (8.4m) visited it in one month. Children's Commissioner stats: Of the 64% who said that they had ever seen online pornography: The average age at which children first see pornography is 13 . By age nine, 10% had seen pornography, 27% had seen it by age 11 and half of children who had seen pornography had seen it by age 13. . By age nine, 10% had seen pornography, 27% had seen it by age 11 and half of children who had seen pornography had seen it by age 13. We also find that young people are frequently exposed to violent pornography, depicting coercive, degrading or pain-inducing sex acts; 79% had encountered violent pornography before the age of 18 . . Pornography is not confined to dedicated adult sites. We found that Twitter was the online platform where young people were most likely to have seen pornography. The maximum fine is £18 million – but a company can be charged an even higher sum of 10% of global revenue. This is aimed at targeting giant web companies who may be in breach of the rules. DODGY DEALINGS Of course, some youngsters will go out of their way to dodge the checks. It's possible to skirt the ban using a VPN, or Virtual Private Network. These easily-downloaded apps scramble your internet data to boost your privacy from online spies. But they also let you trick websites and apps into thinking you're logging on from another country. Ofcom insiders admit there's no way to stop this – but that doesn't make the new rules redundant. 'Our research shows that these are not people that are out to find porn – it's being served up to them in their feeds,' Griffiths explained. 'And we think that these measures are going to have a really big impact in terms of dealing with that particular problem. Using parental controls and having conversations, feels a really important part of the solution. Oliver Griffiths 'There will be teenagers – dedicated teenagers – who want to find their way to porn, in the same way as people find ways to buy alcohol under 18. They will use VPNs. 'And actually, I think there's a really important reflection here. It's not just us, in terms of making life safer online. 'Parents having a view in terms of whether their kids have got a VPN, and using parental controls and having conversations, feels a really important part of the solution.' Another fear around the new rules is that by blocking unverified Brits from mainstream sites, they'll seek out adult content in more extreme corners of the web. But Ofcom says the porn industry is aware of this, and is working to get everyone on board. 'This was certainly a concern that when we were working with the adult sector,' Griffiths told us. 'The big sites were saying, well if we age-assure here, then won't that just divert traffic to darker corners. 'And I think it was that sort of sense that everybody needed to move together. 'That's allowed us to get to the position where we've got 6,000 websites hosting porn that are going to have age-assurance in place as of midnight.'


ITV News
3 hours ago
- ITV News
Two burglars jailed after two-month crime spree across the South East
Doorbell camera and footage inside home shows burglars break in and ransack property in broad daylight. Credit Surrey Police. Two burglars have been jailed after taking part in a two-month crime spree across the South East last year. Terence O'Reilly, 23, and James Carthy, 33, carried out burglaries across Surrey, Hampshire, Kent, and Sussex. O'Reilly would often be the one to approach the house first, wearing a cap and a mask, and knock or ring the doorbell to check if anyone was inside. Once satisfied the house was empty, he and Carthy would break in through rear doors and windows. The pair used covid-style surgical face masks to conceal their identities while they ransacked homes looking for safes, loose cash and jewlery. The pair also stole expensive cars and designer handbags. A distinctive modified silver Audi S3 with its front grille and badge painted black was seen in multiple CCTV clips at or close to the scenes of the offences. The car was also seen at the scene of a burglary in Billingshurst in September 2024, where a rare Mercedes E43 AMG was stolen. The Mercedes was recovered several weeks later stuck in a ford in Bordon, likely dumped after the driver misjudged the level of the water. A sledgehammer was found inside. The pair were caught on 2 October 2024, after the silver Audi made off from police in Hascombe, the driver and passenger discarding a Louis Vuitton and Chanel handbag and a dirty pillowcase containing jewellery out of the window before decamping a few minutes later. Officers swarmed the area and they were soon cornered. A police dog kept O'Reilly at bay on a hillside long enough for officers to detain him, and Carthy was found trying to hide from police under a bridge in the nearby river. Carthy and O'Reilly had discarded some of their clothes and shoes when they ran from police and covered the inside of the car with bleach in an attempt to cover their tracks. Inside the Audi officers found two baseball caps, a crowbar, a chisel, a pickaxe, and a pair of Covid-style surgical face masks. On Monday (21 July) at Guildford Crown Court, Terence O'Reilly, of Cranleigh, was sentenced to eight years imprisonment for burglary, conspiracy to commit burglary, and theft of motor vehicle. James Carthy, of Dunsfold, was sentenced to six years imprisonment for burglary, conspiracy to commit burglary, and theft of motor vehicle. O'Reilly and Carthy are also both subject to a Serious Crime Prevention Order (SCPO), a court order designed to stop persons from engaging in further serious criminal activity by setting restrictions on their behaviour and outlining conditions they need to adhere to. Investigating officer DC McBain said: "This was a challenging case of organised criminality spanning the Southeast. Carthy and O'Reilly showed no remorse or regard for the effects of their crimes and locking them up will prevent many more burglaries."


Scottish Sun
8 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Chilling signs of ‘siblicide' as experts warn of dangerous rise… after teen smothered toddlers to ‘save them from Satan'
Experts fear cases of siblicide - where one sibling is killed by another - could soar amid a mental health crisis among Brit youngsters, with sex crime cases involving brothers and sisters already on the rise BLOODIED BONDS Chilling signs of 'siblicide' as experts warn of dangerous rise… after teen smothered toddlers to 'save them from Satan' BRITISH schoolgirl Amber Gibson was just 16 when she was stripped naked, sexually assaulted, beaten over the head, and strangled in a horrific woodland killing. The beast behind the murder? Not a depraved stranger or a serial killer, but Amber's big brother, Connor Gibson - the boy who was supposed to love and protect her the most. Advertisement 20 Amber Gibson, 16, was subjected to a harrowing attack before being strangled by her brother Credit: Refer to Caption 20 Evil Connor Gibson was described as 'beneath contempt' by a detective 20 Gibson was seen leading sister Amber away before returning without her Credit: PA 'The last person she saw alive was you, her brother, strangling the life out of her after having beaten her up and tried to rape her,' a judge told Gibson following the 2021 murder. Amber - who suffered another harrowing fate in death, when the stranger who found her body further violated it - is a victim of siblicide, where one sibling is killed by another. Advertisement Though common among animals - particularly birds, in competition for food - this type of homicide is rare in humans, whose longest-lasting relationships are often with their siblings. When it does happen, it sends shockwaves through families - with the heartbroken mum of one killer who stabbed his four-year-old sister 17 times revealing: 'I lost both of my children.' And worryingly, experts warn that cases of sororicide (killing one's sister) and fratricide (killing one's brother) could soar amid a mental health crisis among Britain's youngsters. 'Recent siblicide cases appear to indicate that mental ill health is a major factor,' UK criminal defence lawyer Marcus Johnstone, who specialises in sex crime, tells The Sun. A recent NHS survey reveals one in four young people in England have a common mental health condition - a 47 per cent increase on 2007 figures. Advertisement Meanwhile, Marcus says sex crime cases involving siblings are rising - with the 'easy availability of extreme porn sites' feared to be contributing to such vile attacks. 'My concern is the ever-increasing number of children and young adults who have mental health problems,' adds Marcus, of Cheshire-based PCD Solicitors. 'If we get to the stage where a psychotic disorder is combined with drug and porn addiction, and an underlying sibling rivalry or dispute, this may escalate to siblicide.' Amber Gibson's evil brother Connor jailed for life for murdering & sexually assaulting his teen sister 20 Gibson, 20, was jailed for a minimum of 22 years Credit: PA 20 The family were 'heartbroken' beyond words by Amber's death Advertisement For most siblings their bond forms at an early age. They grow up together - navigating family dynamics, sibling rivalry and hurdles in their own lives while under the same roof. It is during this shared childhood that criminologists say the roots of siblicide can form. 'Siblings should be our first teachers in sharing, emotional regulation, and conflict resolution,' behavioural criminologist Alex Iszatt tells us. 'But for some, the home becomes a training ground for violence instead. "Who hasn't shouted, 'I hate you,' at the top of your lungs to a brother or sister? Yet that rage rarely turns deadly.' Advertisement If we get to the stage where a psychotic disorder is combined with drug and porn addiction, and an underlying sibling rivalry or dispute, this may escalate to siblicide Marcus Johnstone In the Gibsons' case the siblings, born into a troubled family, had gone into foster care when Amber was three. At the time, her brother, then five, had declared: 'We are safe.' But these three words would prove untrue for Amber when Gibson - by then a 19-year-old man - savagely attacked her in Hamilton in South Lanarkshire, Scotland in November 2021. The fiend battered his little sister, broke her nose, tore off her clothing and sexually assaulted her with the intention of raping her, before strangling her with his hands. Jailing Gibson for life at the High Court in Livingston two years later, Lord Mulholland told the merciless killer that Amber 'would have looked to you, as her big brother, for support'. 'What you did was truly evil,' Lord Mulholland added. Advertisement The judge also slammed Stephen Corrigan - a stranger who inappropriately touched Amber's body, then concealed it, after discovering her - for his 'despicable conduct'. 'Any decent human being, on coming across the naked body of a young girl who was unconscious or possibly dead, would immediately call the emergency services,' he said. 'Golden child' jealousy While Gibson's motive for Amber's murder remains unclear, experts say perpetrators of siblicide might be driven by greed, trauma, psychosis, or decades of 'unresolved' rage. In some cases, 'small micro-traumas - persistent emotional or physical wounds - build up over time like a simmering pot until they erupt in pure rage,' says Alex. Other killers act on jealousy; they feel resentful of their parents' perceived favouritism of a 'golden child', or the bond shared between their sibling and other family members. Advertisement 'Psychologists call this 'sibling displacement rage', where anger aimed at parents, trauma, or even personal failure is redirected onto a brother or sister,' adds Alex. 'The 'chosen one' becomes the lightning rod - not because they caused the pain, but because they represent everything the angry sibling feels deprived of. 'Over the years, this resentment festers and can turn violently lethal.' 'Cold and calculated' 20 Liz Edwards and her daughter Katie (pictured together) were stabbed as they slept by Liz's older daughter, Kim Credit: SWNS:South West News Service 20 The knife Kim Edwards and Lucas Markham used in the killing Credit: SWNS:South West News Service Advertisement 20 The 15-year-olds are believed to be Britain's youngest double murderers Credit: SWNS:South West News Service In 2016, Kim Edwards and her boyfriend Lucas Markham, both 14, became the UK's youngest double murderers when they slaughtered Edwards's mum and 13-year-old sister. Prosecutors said 'cold and calculated' Edwards had held a grudge against her mother, Liz Edwards, 49, before the double stabbing at the family's home in Spalding, Lincolnshire. She'd also felt resentful of her mum's close bond with her younger sister, Katie. 'I was not killing my sister out of anger, and I miss her, but I was excited about killing my mother and I was looking forward to it,' Edwards later chillingly told a psychiatrist. Advertisement After murdering the pair as they slept, Edwards - who also confessed to being 'jealous' of Katie - had sex with Markham, feasted on ice cream, and watched the Twilight films. Nearly 5,000 miles away, in Texas, another teen - psychopath Paris Bennett - beat and murdered his four-year-old sister in a sick bid to hurt his mum 'in the worst possible way'. 20 Twisted Paris Bennett murdered his sister Ella, four, while their mum was at work 20 Bennett with his young sister before he killed her in 2007 Credit: facebook 20 Charity Lee managed to forgive her son Credit: Facebook/ Charity Lee Advertisement Bennett, then 13, crept into little Ella's bedroom after convincing their babysitter to go home. He punched and tried to strangle the defenceless youngster, before knifing her 17 times. He also sexually attacked Ella, having browsed graphic porn like 'S&M', 'bondage' and 'sadism', and even searched for snuff films in the hours leading up to her murder. 'I had always known, as a child, that the most devastating thing to my mother would be the loss of one of her children,' Bennett, now rotting in jail, later told TV host Piers Morgan. 'And I found a way to take away both her children in one fell swoop.' Advertisement He showed zero empathy, his sister hid under a table, begging for her life before he shot her Criminologist Alex Iszatt The siblings' mum, Charity Lee, fainted when police told her that Ella had been killed. When she came to, she asked if her son was okay - only to find out that he was the murderer. Incredibly, despite Bennett's heinous actions, Charity managed to forgive her son. 'Only once I understood what Paris is - a predator - was I able to forgive him,' the grieving mum, who founded the ELLA foundation to help others impacted by violence, mental illness and the criminal justice system, wrote in an article for Good Housekeeping. She added: 'If I was swimming in a beautiful ocean, enjoying myself, and a shark came up and bit my leg off, hopefully I would not spend the rest of my life hating that shark. Advertisement 'Hopefully, I would understand that sharks are what they are. And, for better or worse, Paris is a shark.' Infamy hungry 20 Teen killer Nicholas Prosper holding a plank of wood as a mock gun Credit: PA 20 Prosper killed siblings Giselle, 13, and Kyle, 16, and mum Juliana, 48 Credit: PA 20 A teddy bear shot by Prosper prior to him killing his mother and two siblings While some siblings kill out of jealousy or revenge, others crave notoriety. Advertisement In March this year, a sadistic teen who dreamed of becoming Britain's worst mass killer was caged for life after shooting dead his brother, sister and mother at their Luton home. Nicholas Prosper - who had plotted a school shooting to make him 'globally notorious' - slaughtered Kyle, 16, and Giselle Prosper, 13, and Juliana Falcon, 48, last September. Then aged 18, a court heard he had sought to 'emulate and outdo' Sandy Hook shooting monster Adam Lanza - with his family becoming 'collateral damage' in his failed plot. '[Prosper] showed zero empathy,' says Alex. "His sister hid under a table, begging for her life before he shot her.' She adds that Prosper - who was 'deeply fascinated' by both high-profile murderers and rapists - displayed narcissistic psychopathy, a chilling detachment from human emotion. Advertisement 'Hitman inquiry' While most cases of siblicide in the news involve teenagers, an American criminologist reveals that many perpetrators are actually adults who are acting 'in the moment'. 'The perpetrators are often adults, and the act is due to a heated argument influenced by drugs or alcohol, and is done in their own home due to easy access to weapons,' says Dr Angelo Brown, an assistant professor of criminology at Arkansas State University. He adds: 'Siblicides done by youth are rarer but often are more likely to make the news.' Typically, perpetrators of siblicide are male, with killer sisters 'much less common'. But just last month a woman appeared in court accused of knifing her sister to death before she was arrested allegedly with the victim's missing diamond Rolex. Advertisement Nancy Pexton, 69, is accused of murdering film director Jennifer Abbott Dauward, known as Sarah Steinberg, at her flat in Camden, North London. In 2016, a 26-year-old woman - Sabah Khan, also from Luton - knifed her own sister 68 times in a ferocious hallway attack because she wanted to steal her husband. Khan - whose internet history included "hiring a hitman for £200" - had become consumed by jealousy after starting an ill-fated affair with sister Saima's husband, Hafeez Rehman. 20 Nancy Pexton, left, with her sister Jennifer Abbott Credit: Central News 20 Saima Khas was stabbed to death by her sibling Sabah Khan (pictured) in 2017 Credit: PA:Press Association Advertisement 20 The flat where Khan lured her sister before slitting her throat and hacking off her hand Credit: SWNS:South West News Service Desiring Hafeez for herself, she delved into gruesome methods for murdering 34-year-old Saima - including paying a 'black magic priest' in Pakistan £5,000 to 'remotely' kill her. Eventually, she settled on butchering the mother-of-four with a knife bought from Tesco, as her victim's eldest daughter called down the stairs, "Auntie, are you killing a mouse?' Khan was later locked up for life, with a minimum of 22 years, after pleading guilty to murder. According to Alex, affairs are not the only type of family 'betrayal' that can spark siblicide. Advertisement 'Financial betrayal is another trigger,' she tells us. 'Siblings who grow up competing for resources — whether love, attention, or inheritance — can reach a point where murder seems like the only way out.' Siblings who grow up competing for resources — whether love, attention, or inheritance — can reach a point where murder seems like the only way out Alex Iszatt Sometimes, a supposedly 'betrayed' sibling wishes to 'completely erase' the other. 'This can develop into a psychological obsession,' explains Alex. 'There have been cases where perpetrators don't just want what their sibling has - they want to be them.' Advertisement Such killers might mirror their sibling's behaviour, or copy their appearance. 'The violence is more than physical; it's psychological annihilation,' says Alex. 'By killing their sibling, the perpetrator attempts to claim their identity.' The warning signs of siblicide Siblicide involves the killing of one sibling by another. It might present as sororicide (killing one's sister) or fratricide (killing one's brother). Experts tell The Sun that 'red flags' for siblicide include obsessive grudges, violent fantasies, sudden emotional detachment, and extreme bullying beyond typical sibling rivalry. 'Spotting warning signs early can save lives,' says behavioural criminologist Alex Iszatt (pictured left). 'Therapy and intervention help, but only if they come before homicidal planning starts.' Criminal defence lawyer Marcus Johnstone (pictured right), who specialises in sex crime, adds: 'Such killings are extremely rare in the UK but, where it does arise, they are often linked to family arguments, jealousy or financial problems spanning many years, for example, the inheritance of a property. 'Siblicide which also involves a sexual assault is often linked to severe mental illness and drug abuse.' Some experts believe that 'full siblings' are less likely to be involved in siblicide. 'Research has indicated that there are differences between full-blood siblings, half-siblings, [and] step-siblings, as full siblings seem less likely to kill each other,' says Dr Brown. Advertisement 'This is explained by evolutionary theories that we are more likely to protect those with whom we share DNA.' In 2022, a teen from Indiana, US, was jailed after smothering his 23-month-old half-sister, Desiree McCartney, and 11-month-old stepbrother, Nathaniel Ritz, to death. Nickalas Kedrowitz, who was just 13 at the time of the 2017 killings, reportedly wanted to free the toddler and baby 'from Satan and hell'. He was caged for 100 years. Whatever the motives, genetics and 'betrayals' behind siblicide, there is no doubt that the violent crime destroys the lives of more than the two siblings involved. Advertisement "We now have one daughter buried in Larkhall Cemetery and another child in prison,' said Amber's devastated foster parents after her brother was convicted of her murder. "We really miss Amber - life will never be the same." And Bennett's mother Charity admitted: 'While I've learned to forgive Paris, you don't ever fully heal from something like that. You learn to live with it.' 20 Nickalas James Kedrowitz smothered step-brother Nathaniel, 11 months Credit: Fox 20 His sister Desiree McCartney, 23 months, was also killed by Kedrowitz Credit: Fox Advertisement