Who needs serial killers?

A Japanese high school girl has been arrested for gradually poisoning her mother to the brink of death and keeping a blog of her progress - all done as a grim homage to a serial killer she idolised.

The 16-year-old student is alleged to have laced her mother's food with increasing doses of thallium, a potent rat poison. Her mother is now in a coma and critically ill.

The girl, who is from rural Shizuoka, in central Japan, was apparently inspired by Briton Graham Young, the notorious Teacup Poisoner of Bovingdon who, in 1962, aged 14, slowly killed his stepmother with what was thought to be the same lethal substance.

Ok, that German guy who got a volunteer to eat is still the creepiest thing I've ever heard. Still, this is definitely up there on that list.