INFAMOUS schoolgirl killer Mary Bell yesterday won a court victory in her battle to protect her new life with her teenage daughter.

They were granted a temporary order banning the media from identifying them.

Bell - who in 1968 choked to death Martin Brown, four, and three-year-old Brian House in Newcastle when aged only 11 - has also applied for an injunction to protect their anonymity permanently.

An interim order was made yesterday by Dame Elizabeth Butler-Sloss, President of the Family Division, pending a full two-day High Court hearing starting on September 19.

Bell was convicted of the manslaughter of the two boys and was sentenced to be detained at Her Majesty's Pleasure. She was released on licence in 1980 when she was given a new identity.

Her 17-year-old daughter currently cannot be identified as a ward of court. But the injunction protecting the anonymity of both daughter and her mother comes to an end on May 25, when the girl is 18.

Edward Fitzgerald QC, for mother and daughter, who still live together, told the judge that they would require protection beyond the lapsing of the order because of the risk of attack and to protect the rehabilitation of the mother.

He added: "Quite apart from the question of physical risk, there is a right to privacy in the mother and a separate right to privacy in the daughter, and a right to freedom from harassment."

Desmond Browne, for News Group Newspapers and the Mirror Group, did not oppose the continuation until the full hearing of the injunction imposed in May 1998.

"But, at the same time, because of the public policy principles which are engaged, they are anxious before citing their position to know whether there is proper evidence which convincingly establishes the need for what would be a very wide-ranging injunction both in respect of Mary Bell and her daughter," he said.

Dame Elizabeth heard that the daughter had grown into a normal, happy young woman leading a law-abiding life.

Bell is reputed to have benefited to the tune of £50,000 from the publication of the book Cries Unheard by Gita Sereny.

But June Richardson, mother of Martin Brown said last night: "I do not mind her daughter having lifetime anonymity - she is as much a victim as my family and I are.

"But Mary Bell gave up her right to anonymity when she decided to make money out of her crimes."

She added: "I have approached my MP Joyce Quinn to call on the Government to prevent people from profiting from their crimes.