THE names and photographs of the schoolgirl killers of Angela Wrightson have been shared tens of thousands of times on social media - despite the judge in the case making an order banning their identification.

However, The Northern Echo understands the police and Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) could be powerless to prosecute anyone sharing their identities on social media - because the order may only cover newspapers and broadcast media.

Senior members of the judiciary are understood to be in disagreement over whether there can be any prosecutions as the law is unclear.

The two girls were sentenced to life imprisonment, with a minimum of 15 years at Leeds Crown Court last week for murdering vulnerable alcoholic Ms Wrightson at her Hartlepool home in 2014.

Despite the media applying for him to lift the court order banning the press from identifying the 15-year-old girls, the judge, Mr Justice Globe, refused on the grounds they were in "fragile and emotional states" and had attempted suicide and self-harm.

The mainstream media have therefore refrained from naming the girls, or giving any details which could lead to their identification - but just one post naming them on social media had been shared more than 10,000 times on Friday. There were many more posts containing their names and photographs.

It emerged last night that Cleveland Police and the Crown Prosecution Service may be unable to prosecute anyone sharing their images and names across social media because of the type of order - known as a "section 39 order" - in place. This allows the court to provide complete or partial anonymity to juveniles involves in court proceedings in reports by print and broadcast media. It is unclear whether it covers social media.

Since the girls first appeared in court, the law has changed and a different order, a section 45 order, now covers social media anonymity - but in this case only the outdated order stands.

The matter has been brought to the attention of the judge in the case, and the Attorney General, but it is not known what action can be taken.

A spokesman for the judiciary said: "As indicated by his sentencing remarks, Mr Justice Globe gave careful consideration to whether or not the December 2014 order under section 39 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933 should remain in place.

"If the police or the Crown Prosecution Service wish that order be amended or replaced they are able to apply to the court in the usual way and the judge will consider it."

Officers from Cleveland Police were understood to be working with Facebook to try to mitigate the damage.

A force spokesperson said: “We have been liaising with the CPS to fully understand the parameters of the order set by the Judge. We will continue to work alongside the CPS to ensure the order is enforced as it stands.”