Two schoolgirls who bombarded their teachers and even their teachers' families with abusive messages on Facebook have been sentenced in court.

The girls, who are both 15, began their hate campaign in June last year and even ignored restraining orders by continuing to plague teachers, staff and even the families of teachers and staff with threatening messages.

Now both have been slapped with orders meaning they will be monitored by a youth offending team for a year after appearing in court.

The duo, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, were first reported to police last year after they were excluded from their school and proceeded to launch a hate campaign against staff. Police warned both girls for malicious communications.

But the pair failed to change their ways and continued their Facebook abuse resulting in year-long restraining orders being granted after an appearance in court in September.

The order stated that they "must not contact directly or indirectly any teachers or staff or any employees of [the school]. This includes family members of the above by any means. This is to include contact via social media network". 

Despite the clear ruling, the abuse continued and the girls were back in court to admit breaches of the order in November.

One of the girls was sentenced for the breaches at Croydon Juvenile Court last month, the other was sentenced at the same court this month. They were each given 12 month youth rehabilitation orders meaning they will have to meet rules set by a youth offending team.

A police spokesman said: "Young people should be advised that sending malicious communications via social media can result in being arrested, charged and kept in custody - even over Christmas - and face a 12 months community sentence.

"If you abuse people on Facebook, you will be dealt with robustly whatever your age."