It was the best ever birthday party! She wore her new cream dress from her Aunty, with lace and brocade and real pearls on the cuffs, and the shiny silver tiara from her father – “A proper crown for a proper princess” he had said. Best of all were the kittens – one hundred of them, that her mummy had got from the pet shop. She knew she couldn’t have them all, but she got to keep two at the end of the party.

And now the entertainment! Into the room came a fat, jolly clown, with a soft red nose, and big silly shoes. Amy squealed with delight. This was wonderful!

Suddenly, a growling noise came from the basket of kittens. They leapt savagely at the clown, who flailed ineffectively at them. Clawing and biting, they dragged him mercilessly to the ground, ripping chunks of flesh from his whitened face, spraying blood over the screaming children. They watched him writhe, then grow still, silent apart from the purring.

She grew to love ridiculously cute murders, they later said at her trial.