Yahoo News Brianna Ghey news - live: Scarlett Jenkinson’s family breaks silence as teen jailed with Eddie Ratcliffe
The family of teenager killer Scarlett Jenkinson has broken their silence as they said they have been living out their “worst nightmares”.
Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe stabbed 16-year-old Brianna Ghey 28 times with a hunting knife in a horrific attack on 11 February last year after luring her to Linear Park near Warrington.
The judge at Manchester Crown Court said the “exceptionally brutal” murder had elements of sadism by Jenkinson and transphobic hate by Ratcliffe.
Saying their lives were “in turmoil”, Jenkinson’s family thanked Brianna‘s mother Esther Ghey for her “incredible selflessness and empathy towards our family”.
In a statement to the Warrington Guardian, Scarlett Jenkinson’s family said: “All of our thoughts are for Brianna and her family.
“The last 12 months have been beyond our worst nightmares as we have come to realise the brutal truth of Scarlett’s actions.”
The four-week trial heard the pair, who were 15, had a fascination with violence, torture and serial killers, with Jenkinson wanting to keep a part of Brianna’s flesh as a “token”.
Jenkinson was jailed for a minimum term of 22 years, and Ratcliffe 20.
Key Points
Heartbroken family of 'pure evil’ killer Scarlett Jenkinson breaks silence
Pair jailed for life for murder
Killer’s family thank victim’s mother for empathy and compassion
New school was not told Jenkinson had already drugged another pupil
Teenage girl enjoyed killing Brianna and wanted to kill again, court told
Brianna Ghey’s killers Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe arrested for murder
Saturday 3 February 2024 08:30 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe stabbed the transgender schoolgirl 28 times with a hunting knife in a horrific attack on 11 February last year after luring her to Linear Park near Warrington.
The judge at Manchester Crown Court said the “exceptionally brutal” murder had elements of sadism by Jenkinson and transphobic hate by Ratcliffe.
The four-week trial heard the pair, who were 15, had a fascination with violence, torture and serial killers, with Jenkinson wanting to keep a part of Brianna’s flesh as a “token”.
Jenkinson was jailed for a minimum term of 22 years, and Ratcliffe 20.
Welcome to our live coverage
Thursday 1 February 2024 15:45 , Holly Evans
Welcome to our live coverage of the sentencing of Brianna Ghey’s two teenage killers.
We’ll be bringing you all the latest updates here.
Teenage murderers of Brianna Ghey can be named
Thursday 1 February 2024 16:15 , Holly Evans
Murderers of teenager Brianna Ghey will be named by the media when they are sentenced, a judge has ruled.
Mrs Justice Yip ordered the press can identify the teens responsible for the “frenzied and ferocious” attack on Brianna, 16, stabbed with a hunting knife 28 times in her head, neck, chest and back after being lured to Linear Park, Culcheth, a village near Warrington, Cheshire, on the afternoon of February 11.
Her killers both tried to blame each other for the stabbing but on Wednesday were both found guilty of murder by a jury at Manchester Crown Court following a four week trial.
Read the full reasons why here
Teenage murderers of Brianna Ghey can be named, judge rules
Kills lists, Sweeney Todd and the dark web: how torture-obsessed teens plotted Brianna Ghey’s murder
Thursday 1 February 2024 18:00 , Holly Evans
A teenage girl with a fascination for serial killers watched her favourite film Sweeney Todd as she and a teenage boy put the finishing touches to a meticulous plan for a brutal murder.
The following day, the girl lured transgender teenager Brianna Ghey to a park in Culcheth, near Warrington, having already tried and failed to kill the 16-year-old with an overdose of ibuprofen. In a frenzied attack, the young killers stabbed Brianna 28 times with a hunting knife, the first victim from their “kill list” of at least five child targets.
Now convicted of Brianna’s murder following a four-week trial at Manchester Crown Court, the pair are facing mandatory jail terms for life.
Read the full article from Tara Cobham here
How a serial killer-obsessed teenage girl plotted Brianna Ghey’s brutal murder
Was Brianna Ghey’s murder a transphobic hate crime?
Thursday 1 February 2024 20:00 , Holly Evans
The frenzied fatal stabbing of a transgender teenager in a public park on a Saturday afternoon led to worldwide protests and vigils against perceived transphobia.
But Brianna Ghey was not murdered by two teens, identified only as girl X and boy Y, because she was transgender, detectives believe.
The four-week trial at Manchester Crown Court heard boy Y used ‘dehumanising’ language, talking about Brianna, referring to her as an ‘it’ and referring to her as a “tranny” or “femboy.”
But it will ultimately be up to the trial judge Mrs Justice Yip to decide if hatred of transgender people played any part in her death.
Read the full article here
Was Brianna Ghey’s murder a transphobic hate crime?
Brianna Ghey’s mother brands killers ‘cowards’ and calls for compassion towards their families
Thursday 1 February 2024 22:00 , Holly Evans
Brianna Ghey’s mother fought back tears as she branded her daughter’s murderers “cowards” and called for the public to be “compassionate” towards their families.
Esther Ghey said “I don’t know whether justice will ever be done” as she called for her daughter’s killers’ minimum jail terms to be “as long as possible”.
An emotional Ms Ghey told ITV1’s Good Morning Britain programme: “It would be nice to have her back home. That would be justice for me but obviously, that isn’t going to happen.”
Read the full article here
Brianna Ghey’s mother calls killers cowards and calls for compassion towards families
I’m a psychologist – this is why children kill
Friday 2 February 2024 00:00 , Holly Evans
One thing that is blatantly clear in the murder of 15-year-old Brianna Ghey is that her teenage murderers, whose names will be released in their sentencing, were obsessed with murder, violence, gore, and torture.
The court heard that these materials, websites and forums were all accessed online and from globally available media outlets.
It reminds me very much of the evidence surrounding the murder of two-year-old James Bulger in 1993 by two 10-year-olds, Jon Venables and Robert Thompson. The court heard then too, how the boys had watched and then acted out murderous scenes from Child’s Play 3, a film about a violent doll who became possessed by a serial killer and tortured victims.
Read the full article from Dr Jessica Taylor here
I’m a psychologist – this is why children kill | Dr Jessica Taylor
Brianna Ghey's headteacher pays tribute to 'determined and fearless' student
Friday 2 February 2024 01:00 , Holly Evans
Brianna Ghey’s mother remembers murdered daughter’s ‘fearlessness’
Friday 2 February 2024 02:00 , Holly Evans
“Fearless” is the word those who knew Brianna Ghey reach for when paying tribute to the transgender teenager, as they try to grapple with her brutal killing.
The 16-year-old’s mother has celebrated her fearlessness in being “whoever she wanted to be”, while the schoolgirl’s headteacher, Emma Mills, described her as “loud and proud and confident in who she was”. A boy and a girl were this week convicted of her murder following the fatal knife attack in a Cheshire Park in February.
Brianna’s mother, Esther Ghey, has also praised the “outstanding” trans community for their support following her daughter’s death, which led to an outpouring of grief earlier this year.
Read the full article here
Brianna Ghey’s mum praises trans community support after ‘fearless’ daughter’s murder
Chilling doorbell footage shows Brianna Ghey leaving home hours before she was stabbed to death
Friday 2 February 2024 03:00 , Holly Evans
Doorbell footage shows Brianna Ghey leaving home before she was stabbed to death
Friday 2 February 2024 04:00 , Holly Evans
A crumpled, hand-written note of an alleged “murder plan” to kill transgender teenager Brianna Ghey was found on the bedroom floor of one of her killers.
Notes were also made on serial killers including Jeffrey Dahmer, Richard Ramirez and Harold Shipman in a black Pukka notebook when police searched the home of Girl X.
Among handwritten notes was a spider diagram, drawn with the words good and evil in the middle of it.
The crumpled note found on the floor was headed “Saturday, 11th February,2023. Victim Brianna Ghey” with the word “plan” written underneath and underlined.
The note read: “Meet [Boy Y] at wooden posts 1pm. Walk down to library, bus stop. Wait until Brianna gets off bus, then the 3 of us walk to Linear Park. Go to the pipe/tunnel area.
“I say code word to [Boy Y]. He stabs her in the back as I stab her in stomach. [Boy Y] drags the body into the area. We both cover up the area with logs etc.”
A smiley face and a heart shape was also drawn on the top right-hand corner of the note.
Teenage murderers of Brianna Ghey can be named
Friday 2 February 2024 05:00 , Holly Evans
Murderers of teenager Brianna Ghey will be named by the media when they are sentenced, a judge has ruled.
Mrs Justice Yip ordered the press can identify the teens responsible for the “frenzied and ferocious” attack on Brianna, 16, stabbed with a hunting knife 28 times in her head, neck, chest and back after being lured to Linear Park, Culcheth, a village near Warrington, Cheshire, on the afternoon of February 11.
Her killers both tried to blame each other for the stabbing but were both found guilty of murder by a jury at Manchester Crown Court following a four week trial.
Read the full article here
Teenage murderers of Brianna Ghey can be named, judge rules
Blood found on the trainer and jacket of Boy Y
Friday 2 February 2024 06:00 , Holly Evans
Blood from transgender teenager Brianna Ghey, who was stabbed 28 times in a “frenzied” knife attack, was found on the trainers and jacket of Boy Y.
The youth claimed he came into contact with Brianna after seeing her being stabbed by his accomplice Girl X and then checking whether she was still alive as she lay on the ground.
Brianna’s blood was found on boy Y’s trainers and black ski-jacket, and on a hunting knife found in his bedroom at his home, the jury was told.
Brianna suffered un-survivable injuries to her head, neck, chest, back and sides in the “sustained and violent assault” after being lured to Linear Park in Culcheth, near Warrington on February 11.
Kills lists, Sweeney Todd and the dark web: how torture-obsessed teens plotted Brianna Ghey’s murder
Friday 2 February 2024 07:00 , Holly Evans
A teenage girl with a fascination for serial killers watched her favourite film Sweeney Todd as she and a teenage boy put the finishing touches to a meticulous plan for a brutal murder.
The following day, the girl lured transgender teenager Brianna Ghey to a park in Culcheth, near Warrington, having already tried and failed to kill the 16-year-old with an overdose of ibuprofen. In a frenzied attack, the young killers stabbed Brianna 28 times with a hunting knife, the first victim from their “kill list” of at least five child targets.
Now convicted of Brianna’s murder following a four-week trial at Manchester Crown Court, the pair are facing mandatory jail terms for life.
Read the full article from Tara Cobham here
How a serial killer-obsessed teenage girl plotted Brianna Ghey’s brutal murder
Killers were intelligent, from normal backgrounds and had no previous convictions
Friday 2 February 2024 07:58 , Holly Evans
Intelligent, “high functioning” and coming from normal backgrounds, the trial heard the pair had a fascination with violence, torture and murder and a “thirst for killing”.
Neither had been in trouble with police before.
They had discussed Brianna’s murder for weeks, detailed in a handwritten murder plan and phone messages found by detectives.
Jurors were told it was “difficult to fathom” how the two child defendants could carry out such a disturbing crime.
Was Brianna Ghey’s murder a transphobic hate crime?
Friday 2 February 2024 08:30 , Holly Evans
The frenzied fatal stabbing of a transgender teenager in a public park on a Saturday afternoon led to worldwide protests and vigils against perceived transphobia.
But Brianna Ghey was not murdered by two teens, identified only as girl X and boy Y, because she was transgender, detectives believe.
The four-week trial at Manchester Crown Court heard boy Y used ‘dehumanising’ language, talking about Brianna, referring to her as an ‘it’ and referring to her as a “tranny” or “femboy.”
But it will ultimately be up to the trial judge Mrs Justice Yip to decide if hatred of transgender people played any part in her death.
Read the full article here
Was Brianna Ghey’s murder a transphobic hate crime?
James Bulger’s mother says it is right to name teenage killers
Friday 2 February 2024 08:45 , Holly Evans
The mother of James Bulger, a two-year-old boy murdered by two other children in 1993, has said it is right Brianna’s killers are identified as parents “need a picture to the name”.
She told ITV News: “I think they need a picture to the name. You can’t just have a name and not know what they look like.
“I wanted to know what James’ killers looked like. You want to see the faces that took your child away from you. You want to see the faces that spent the last few minutes with your child. I don’t think I would have been able to carry on not knowing what they looked like.
“What’s the point in telling half a story? You want to know what these people look like that took this child’s life away.”
Why can Brianna Ghey’s killers be named?
Friday 2 February 2024 09:08 , Holly Evans
Following their convictions in December, a hearing took place at Manchester Crown Court where a judge agreed to lift their anonymity.
Children appearing in youth or crown courts either as a victim, defendant or witness generally cannot be identified unless there are exceptional circumstances to warrant it.
Throughout their trial, the two 16-year-olds, who were aged 15 at the time of the murder, were identified only as Girl X and Boy Y by the media.
However, journalists made representations ahead of their sentencing arguing for their identities to be exposed, given the harrowing and horrific nature of their crimes.
This was despite their legal teams citing possible welfare concerns and death threats received by Girl X’s family.
However, Mrs Justice Yip said there was “a strong public interest in the full and unrestricted reporting of what is plainly an exceptional case”.
She added: “The public will naturally wish to know the identities of the young people responsible as they seek to understand how children could do something so dreadful.
“Continuing restrictions inhibits full and informed debate and restricts the full reporting of the case.”
Brianna Ghey’s headteacher pays tribute to ‘fearless’ student
Friday 2 February 2024 09:33 , Holly Evans
Brianna Ghey’s family pictured arriving at court
Friday 2 February 2024 09:57 , Holly Evans
The family of murdered teenager Brianna Ghey have been seen arriving at Manchester Crown Court, ahead of the sentencing hearing for her killers.
Her mother Esther Ghey has previously branded the two teen killers as “cowards” and called for their jail term to be “as long as possible”.
Killers’ attempts to cover their tracks revealed
Friday 2 February 2024 10:26 , Holly Evans
Jurors heard how the teenagers’ attempted to cover their tracks in the hours after the killing by creating what they assumed would be a subtle cover story.
Girl X messaged boy Y to say a “woman got stabbed” in the park, with him responding “Holy crap” despite later admitting to police they were present.
The following day, girl X messaged Brianna saying: “Girl, is everything okay? Some teenage girl got killed in Linear Park its on news everywhere.
“And why did you ditch us for some random man from Manchester. Like wtf.”
When Boy Y became nervous about the possibility of them being caught, Girl X reassured him and criticised the capabilities of the police.
Teenage killers of schoolgirl Brianna Ghey named
Friday 2 February 2024 10:40 , Holly Evans
The girl and boy who murdered teenager Brianna Ghey can be named for the first time as 16-year-olds Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe.
The killers, both 15 at the time, had been found guilty of the “disturbing” plan to murder Brianna, 16, in a “frenzied and ferocious” knife attack.
Jenkinson, Brianna’s school friend and the daughter of teachers, who lives close to the park in Culcheth, was identified only as girl X during their trial last December at Manchester Crown Court.
Ratcliffe, from Leigh, whose mother is a skiing instructor and father runs his own businesses, had been identified only as boy Y.
First pictures of killers revealed
Friday 2 February 2024 10:44 , Holly Evans
Here are the first pictures of Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe, who are facing life behind bars for the murder of Brianna Ghey.
Jenkinson befriended Brianna after moving to her school
Friday 2 February 2024 10:50 , Holly Evans
Jenkinson, while aged 14, downloaded a TOR internet browser app, to watch videos of the torture and murder of real people, in “red rooms” on the “dark web”.
She developed an interest in serial killers, making notes on their methods, and admitted enjoying “dark fantasies” about killing and torture, the pair living in a secret world of warped interests in murder and cruelty, their trial heard.
They drew up a “kill list” of four others they intended to harm, until Brianna had the “misfortune” to be befriended by Jenkinson.
She had been asked to leave her school, Culcheth High, over an incident involving cannabis and joined Brianna’s school, Birchwood High, and quickly became “obsessed” with her.
Brianna had thousands of followers on TikTok, but in reality was a withdrawn, shy and anxious teenager who struggled with depression and rarely left her home.
Jenkinson told Ratcliffe she wanted to stab Brianna “jus coz its fun lol… I want to see the pure horror on her face and hear her scream”.
Brianna’s father calls killers ‘pure evil’
Friday 2 February 2024 10:54 , Holly Evans
Reading his victim impact statement at Manchester Crown Court, Brianna’s father Peter Spooner described his daughter’s killers as “monsters” and “pure evil”.
He said: “Now my world has been torn apart. Justice may have been done but no amount of time in prison will be enough for these monsters.
“I cannot call them children because that makes them sound naive or vulnerable, which they are not - they are pure evil. Brianna was the vulnerable one.”
Esther Ghey speaks of betrayal that killer was her daughter’s friend
Friday 2 February 2024 10:58 , Tara Cobham
Esther Ghey spoke of how hard it was to come to terms with the fact that someone she believed to be her daughter Brianna’s friend was one of the people charged with her murder.
She told Manchester Crown Court: “Finding out that one of the people charged with her murder was someone we believed to be her friend, someone that we trusted, someone I was so happy that she had, knowing Brianna had been so lonely.
“Knowing this person wanted not only to cause her harm, but take the life of my previous child away.”
Kills lists, Sweeney Todd and the dark web: How teenagers plotted Brianna Ghey’s murder
Friday 2 February 2024 11:00 , Holly Evans
A teenage girl with a fascination for serial killers watched her favourite film Sweeney Todd as she and a teenage boy put the finishing touches to a meticulous plan for a brutal murder.
The following day, Scarlett Jenkinson lured transgender teenager Brianna Ghey to a park in Culcheth, near Warrington, having already tried and failed to kill the 16-year-old with an overdose of ibuprofen. In the frenzied 11 February attack, she and Eddie Ratcliffe stabbed Brianna 28 times with a hunting knife, the first victim from their “kill list” of at least five child targets.
The young killers were convicted of Brianna’s murder in December following a harrowing four-week trial at Manchester Crown Court. Now, the pair have been unmasked by a judge ahead of their sentencing on Friday.
Read the full article from Tara Cobham here
How teenagers obsessed with torture and murder plotted Brianna Ghey’s killing
Scarlett Jenkinson admits stabbing Brianna multiple times
Friday 2 February 2024 11:01 , Holly Evans
Scarlett Jenkinson has admitted for the first time stabbing Brianna Ghey herself.
Deanna Heer KC, prosecuting, told Manchester Crown Court the 16-year-old had been seen by a psychiatrist after she was convicted of murder last December and made “admissions”.
Ms Heer said: “She said effectively, she said that at the time of the killing she had in fact administered stab wounds herself.
“She had snatched the knife from Eddie’s hand and stabbed Brianna repeatedly.
“She said Eddie had thrown Brianna to the floor and stabbed her three or four times then he panicked and said he did not want to kill her, so she carried on and stabbed her a number of times.
“When asked how many, she answered, ‘A lot.’ She was satisfied and excited by what she was doing.”
“Brianna wasn’t a fighter , she would’ve been terrified - she needed me there to protect her"
Friday 2 February 2024 11:05 , Holly Evans
Brianna’s mother has said her daughter “was not a fighter” but would have been “terrified” in her last moments and needed her mother there to protect her.
Esther Ghey told Manchester Crown Court: “All I could think about was Brianna was scared, she needed me to be there to protect her. Brianna wasn’t a fighter - she would’ve been terrified.”
She said she felt like her “heart had been ripped out” in the days after her daughter’s murder.
“I felt like someone had killed a part of me, like my heart had been ripped out - I’ve never felt such grief.”
Police release Jenkinson’s notebooks on serial killers and murder plan
Friday 2 February 2024 11:11 , Holly Evans
Cheshire Constabulary have released images of Scarlett Jenkinson’s notebooks, which reveal her fascination with serial killers and torture.
Those that grabbed her curiosity include Jeffrey Dahmer, John Wayne Gacy and Dr Harold Shipman.
Brianna's mother calls for daughter's killers to never be released
Friday 2 February 2024 11:13 , Tara Cobham
Brianna Ghey’s mother has said the thought of her daughter’s killers being released from prison “absolutely horrifies me”.
Referring to the convicted teenage murderers Scarlet Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe, Esther Ghey told Manchester Crown Court: “I believe that both Scarlett and Eddie continue to be a danger to society. I never want them to have the opportunity to carry out their sadistic fantasies on another vulnerable person.
“The thought of them being released form prison absolutely horrifies me. I don’t believe anyone so disturbed, so obsessed with murder and torture, could ever be released from prison.”
Tara Cobham reports from Manchester Crown Court
Jenkinson had planned to take a ‘part of her flesh’ as a token, court hears
Friday 2 February 2024 11:17 , Holly Evans
Deanna Heer KC said Jenkinson claimed Eddie Ratcliffe did not like Brianna because she is trans but her motivation was “quite different.”
Ms Heer continued: “Her motivation for doing so was anticipating Brianna was going to leave her and wanted to kill her so she would always be with her.”
Jenkinson said she also intended to take a part of Brianna’s body, “as a token, part of her flesh”.
She also admitted an earlier incident when Brianna became ill came about in an attempt by her to poison her victim with pills.
Ms Heer said, in a further account of events to a probation officer, Jenkinson had said she and Ratcliffe deliberately lured Brianna to the park.
Ms Heer continued: “On this occasion she said it was she who first inflicted stab wounds then passed it to Eddie who forced the victim to the floor, stabbing her about three times, at that point she took the knife and delivered the majority of stab wounds.”
Esther Ghey brands daughter's killers 'cowardly' as they 'show no remorse'
Friday 2 February 2024 11:19 , Tara Cobham, in Manchester
Esther Ghey, the mother of murdered teenager Brianna Ghey, has branded her daughter’s killer “cowardly” as they showed “no remorse” throughout the harrowing four-week murder trial.
Referring to Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe, today unmasked publicly for the first time by a judge, Ms Ghey said: “The two people responsible for her death cowardly pointed the finger at each other, showing no remorse.”
Ms Ghey said there had been moments when she felt sorry for the pair, “because they’ve ruined their own lives”. But she said then she thinks of Brianna and her sympathy evaporates.
“I have to remember that they felt no empathy for Brianna when they left her bleeding to death after their premeditated and vicious attack, which was carried out not because Brianna had done anything wrong, but just because one hated trans people and the other thought it would be fun.”
Killers acted as ‘two predators stalking their prey’
Friday 2 February 2024 11:24 , Holly Evans
In a statement read to the court, Brianna’s stepfather Wesley Powell said: “Brianna had a large online following but in reality she was lonely, vulnerable and in need of a close friend.
“Both Eddie and Scarlett knew this and preyed upon her vulnerabilities, acting as two predators stalking their prey.”
After the victim personal statements were read to the court, Mrs Justice Yip said: “They were very moving statements. I can feel the emotion in the courtroom.”
Why teenagers who killed schoolgirl can be named
Friday 2 February 2024 11:27 , Holly Evans
The girl and boy who murdered teenager Brianna Ghey have been named as Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe for the first time.
The defendants, both 16, were only identified only as girl X and boy Y during their four-week trial last December at Manchester Crown Court.
A ban on naming or picturing her killers had been in place since they first appeared in court but that has now been lifted.
Below we looked at how their unmasking came about.
Read the full article from my colleague Barney Davis here
Why teenagers who killed schoolgirl Brianna Ghey can be named
Police release bodycamera footage of twisted duo being arrested
Friday 2 February 2024 11:29 , Holly Evans
'I'll never get my sister back and I must carry that pain for the rest of my life'
Friday 2 February 2024 11:37 , Tara Cobham, in court
Brianna Ghey’s older sister has told of the pain caused by losing her younger sibling to murder.
“The night we were told that we’d lost Brianna has overpowered the memories I had of her,” Alisha says in her statement.
“Brianna was always at home and I didn’t know that she’d left that day - I find being in my own home uncomfortable and lonely.”
Her statement continues: “I now feel anxious, and struggle to trust new people that I meet because it was Brianna’s friend who she trusted who ended her life.
“No-one can ever make me feel better. The only thing that would is hearing her voice and laughter, and I must carry that pain for the rest of my life.”
Transphobia partly motivated Brianna's murderers, hears court
Friday 2 February 2024 11:43 , Holly Evans
Brianna Ghey’s murderers were “at least in part motivated by Brianna’s transgender identity”, a court has heard.
Deanna Heer KC, prosecuting, told Manchester Crown Court: “The murder of Brianna was motivated in part by Brianna’s transgender identity.
“In Eddie’s, case there was evidence that he spoke about Brianna in disparaging terms with respect to her transgender identity - and therefore that he was motivated to kill her by his transphobic attitude.
“In Scarlett’s case, though she did not use language to that extent, it can be said that she encouraged Eddie to kill Brianna knowing that his transphobic attitude would make it more likely that he would kill Brianna.”
However, she did add: “The court will obviously want to give due consideration to the defendants’ age and immaturity. And on their so-called ‘kill list’ there were other children who were not transgender.”
Judge Mrs Justice Yip agreed with the prosecution that “there is evidence of transphobic comments”.
Watch: Jenkinson asks police why she is a suspect during arrest
Friday 2 February 2024 11:45 , Holly Evans
Girl admits to trying and failing to kill Brianna with ibuprofen overdose, court told
Friday 2 February 2024 11:49 , Tara Cobham, in court
Scarlett Jenkinson has admitted to trying and failing to kill Brianna Ghey with an ibuprofen overdose in the weeks before she and Eddie Ratcliffe did murder the transgender 16-year-old.
During the sentencing hearing for the two child killers, Deanna Heer KC, prosecuting, told Manchester Crown Court: “Scarlett now admits to giving Brianna an overdose of ibuprofen.”
Brianna Ghey’s headteacher details moment teen met killer Scarlett Jenkinson
Friday 2 February 2024 11:54 , Holly Evans
Brianna Ghey’s headteacher details moment teen met killer Scarlett Jenkinson
Girl murderer writes another 'kill list' in custody, court told
Friday 2 February 2024 12:06 , Tara Cobham, in court
The teenage girl convicted of murdering Brianna Ghey has been found with another so-called ‘kill list’ while being held in a secure unit awaiting her sentencing.
Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe wrote a ‘kill-list’ of five child victims with Brianna their first target.
Deanna Heer KC, prosecuting, told Manchester Crown Court Jenkinson has been found with a second ‘kill-list’ while being held in custody, which included the names of those caring for her.
Judge accuses Scarlett of telling 'so many untruths it's impossible to believe anything she says'
Friday 2 February 2024 12:16 , Holly Evans
After Scarlett Jenkinson admitted today for the first time stabbing Brianna Ghey herself, her defence lawyer has now backtracked and argued her accomplice Eddie Ratcliffe was responsible for knifing the 16-year-old.
When Richard Pratt KC, defending, acknowledged the multiple competing accounts given by Jenkinson, Judge Mrs Justice Yip said: “There is so much evidence of untruths in the case of Scarlett that quite frankly it’s impossible to believe anything she says - I put it as bluntly as that.
Consequently, when it comes to a sentencing decision, the judge said: “I’m going to have to make my findings based on the evidence given at trial.”
Jenkinson ‘knew what she was doing was wrong’
Friday 2 February 2024 12:21 , Holly Evans
The prosecutor said Dr Richard Church, a consultant forensic psychiatrist, had examined Jenkinson and concluded she did not have a mental illness but presents with a severe “conduct dissocial disorder with limited pro-social emotions”.
Deanna Heer KC concluded: “In Scarlett’s case, she knew what she was doing was wrong and she knew it was very wrong.”
In Ratcliffe’s case, Dr Michael Crawford, another consultant forensic psychiatrist, concluded he has a mild form of autism and selective mutism.
Downing Street said that Rishi Sunak’s thoughts are with the family of Brianna Ghey
Friday 2 February 2024 12:25 , Holly Evans
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “First and foremost, the Prime Minister’s thoughts are with Brianna’s family, friends and loved ones.
“Obviously the hurt that they feel is unimaginable and the Prime Minister shares in the country’s horror at this despicable and cowardly murder.”
The spokesman praised the “courage and dignity” of the teenager’s mother.
Asked about the decision to name her killers, he said: “It’s obviously an independent judicial decision. As the judge has said herself, this is clearly a shocking and exceptional case.”
Watch moment Brianna Ghey’s killers arrested for murder
Friday 2 February 2024 12:32 , Holly Evans
Watch moment Brianna Ghey’s killers arrested for teenager’s murder
Scarlett Jenkinson was a ‘normal girl’ with a ‘thirst for killing’
Friday 2 February 2024 12:37 , Holly Evans
The daughter of a high school teacher, Jenkinson had been asked to leave Culcheth High School, where her accomplice Eddie Ratcliffe was a pupil. Sources said that Jenkinson had been involved in pupils taking cannabis-laced gummy sweets.
Outwardly described by detectives as appearing to be “a normal kid from a normal family”, Jenkinson kept secret notes on her dark fantasies of death, torture, murder and serial killers in notebooks in her bedroom at the family home she shared with her parents, both teachers, and three older brothers.
Detectives say her “thirst for killing” grew over time, shared with Ratcliffe, neither blindly leading the other, both hand in hand down a path getting more extreme and more real, in a “cocoon world they alone inhabited”, their trial heard.
Unsuspecting Brianna entered this world when Jenkinson, by then 15, transferred to her school, Birchwood High, in November 2022.
After striking up a conversation about eyeliner the two became friends, hanging out in the school inclusion unit and outside class on WhatsApp and Instagram.
Jenkinson and Ratcliffe drew up a “kill list” of five people they deemed worthy of murder over insignificant or minor dislikes.
But Brianna represented an easy kill.
Defence lawyer concedes substantial element of pre-meditation in murder
Friday 2 February 2024 12:43 , Holly Evans
Richard Pratt KC, defending Scarlett Jenkinson, said he acknowledged there appeared to be a substantial element of pre-meditation in the murder of Brianna Ghey.
He added: “At the same time, there were some extraordinary and almost, if I can use the phrase, childlike mistakes from this would-be serial killer.”
He said she left notes in her bedroom and made limited attempts to conceal evidence.
Mr Pratt said Jenkinson had been diagnosed with an eating disorder and a dissocial disorder.
Ratcliffe’s lawyer denies murder was motivated by transphobia
Friday 2 February 2024 13:07 , Holly Evans
Richard Littler KC, in mitigation for Ratcliffe, denied his “disparaging” language about Brianna meant the murder was motivated by transphobia.
He said: “The fact that Brianna was trans is immaterial. This is nothing to do with gender at all. Finding a few offensive comments made by an autistic adolescent does not satisfy the court to a criminal standard, of effectively a hate-crime, motivation. They were juvenile and immature.”
Mr Littler citing the psychiatric report on Jenkinson, said the “box is well and truly ticked” for her on whether the crime had an element of sadism.
Mr Littler cited what Jenkinson had told the psychiatrist about the stabbing.
He said: “It made her feel excited and that excitement made her stab more times. She liked having complete power over someone and enjoyed the power she had over someone weaker like Brianna.
“She was thrilled by thoughts of violence, she was sometimes sexually aroused by it. She had increasing interest in violence, torture, murder, weapons, serial killers, fuelled and re-enforce by documentaries and dark web materials on these subjects.”
Court breaks for lunch
Friday 2 February 2024 13:11 , Holly Evans
The court has adjourned now until 2.15pm, when Justice Yip will sentence the defendants.
Killer Scarlett Jenkinson moved to Brianna Ghey’s school after spiking younger pupil
Friday 2 February 2024 13:30 , Holly Evans
One of Brianna Ghey’s killers was moved to her school just 10 weeks before her murder, after drugging a younger pupil with a cannabis sweet.
Scarlett Jenkinson, 16, faced being expelled from Culcheth High School, which she attended alongside fellow killer Eddie Ratcliffe, but was instead transferred to Birchwood Community High School.
The incident involved a 13-year-old pupil who became ill, which occurred when Jenkinson was aged 15.
Read the full article here
Killer Scarlett Jenkinson moved to Brianna Ghey’s school after spiking younger pupil
Brianna Ghey’s father describes daughter’s killers as ‘monsters’: ‘I hate them’
Friday 2 February 2024 13:45 , Holly Evans
Brianna Ghey’s father said the “evil monsters” who killed his teenage daughter should be forgotten.
Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe, both 16, brutally murdered 16-year-old Brianna in a frenzied killing on February 11 last year. The transgender teenager was stabbed 28 times with a hunting knife after being lured to Linear Park, Culcheth, a village near Warrington, Cheshire, by the callous youths she believed to be her friends.
Peter Spooner, disagreed with the judge’s decision to identify the teenage killers ahead of their sentencing on Friday as he fears their names will be “tied to Brianna’s all the time”.
Read the full article here
Brianna Ghey’s father says ‘evil monsters’ who killed daughter should be forgotten
More from Ratcliffe’s defence lawyer
Friday 2 February 2024 14:00 , Holly Evans
Richard Littler KC, defending Eddie Ratcliffe, said Scarlett Jenkinson had revealed more details of the planning to a psychiatrist after her conviction.
He told the court she had said: “I was meant to get rid of the body. I was going to drag her into the pipe. Before I even got a chance to drag the body someone was coming up the path.
“I was going to put her in the pipe. I saw it before, it’s big enough to fit a person in.”
He said the case was not simply a joint enterprise murder and added: “We submit Eddie’s sentence should be significantly less than that of his co-defendant.”
Sentencing to begin shortly
Friday 2 February 2024 14:15 , Holly Evans
The sentencing of Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe is due to resume at 2.15pm, with our reporter Tara Cobham confirming that the court has begun to assemble.
The killers of Brianna Ghey are facing a mandatory life sentence, but it will be up for the judge Mrs Justice Yip to decide the minimum term.
Doorbell footage captures Brianna Ghey leaving home hours before her murder
Friday 2 February 2024 14:22 , Holly Evans
Awaiting judge to start sentencing
Friday 2 February 2024 14:28 , Holly Evans
Our reporter Tara Cobham, who is at Manchester Crown Court, has said the hearing is due to start imminently and are waiting for the judge to enter.
Several members of Brianna’s family are in attendance, as well as the families of her two killers.
Parents of Brianna Ghey suggest daughter’s killers should never be released
Friday 2 February 2024 14:42 , Holly Evans
In a victim impact statement read by a prosecution barrister as she was too upset to read it herself, Ms Ghey said: “I don’t believe that someone who is so disturbed and obsessed with murder and torture would ever be able to be rehabilitated.
“I have moments where I feel sorry for them because they have also ruined their own lives, but I have to remember that they felt no empathy for Brianna when they left her bleeding to death after their premeditated and vicious attack, which was carried out not because Brianna had done anything wrong, but just because one hated trans people and the other thought it would be fun.”
Her father Peter Spooner said: “Now my world has been torn apart, justice may have been done with the guilty verdicts, but no amount of time spent in prison will be enough for these monsters.
“I cannot call them children as that makes them sound naive or vulnerable, which they are not, they are pure evil. Brianna was the vulnerable one.”
Sentence begins
Friday 2 February 2024 14:47 , Holly Evans
Mrs Justice Yip has entered Courtroom 2 at Manchester Crown Court to sentence teenage killers Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe.
Judge warns defendants they may never be released
Friday 2 February 2024 14:53 , Holly Evans
Beginning to sentence Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe for the murder of Brianna Ghey, judge Mrs Justice Yip addressed the child killers, telling them they face a life sentence.
She told the defendants: “You will only be released if in the future it is decided that you no longer remain a danger.”
Saying that that decision is for the parole board to make, she warned them: “You may never be released.”
Brianna remembered for her laughter and being a good listener
Friday 2 February 2024 14:55 , Holly Evans
Addressing the killers, Mrs Justice Yip said: “Brianna was only 16 years old. She had her whole life ahead of her.
“Brianna had some struggles which made her vulnerable but she was supported by a loving family who wanted nothing but the best for her. Sadly no one will ever know what she would have achieved with her life.”
She continued: “Her family remember her for her laughter, full of life and being a good listener. Their loss is unimaginable.”
Brianna subjected to ‘sustained and very violent assault'
Friday 2 February 2024 14:58 , Holly Evans
The court has heard that Brianna was subjected to a “sustained and very violent assault”, which led to 28 deep stab wounds across her head and body.
They included defensive injuries to her arms which showed she had tried to defend herself.
“Sadly, Brianna cannot have lost consciousness immediately and she must have been aware she was being attacked,” Mrs Justice Yip said.
'Both of you played full part in killing Brianna,' judge tells defendants
Friday 2 February 2024 15:00 , Tara Cobham, in court
A judge has told Brianna Ghey’s murderers that they both “played a full part” in the killing of the teenager as she sentences the pair.
Speaking at Manchester Crown Court on Friday, Judge Mrs Justice Yip told the defendants: “I sentence you on the basis that both of you played a full part in killing Brianna and both intended that she shall die.”
She described Brianna’s murder as a “joint plan that you carried out together”.
The judge also condemned both for “telling lies to the jury”.
Jenkinson blurs lines between fantasy and real life
Friday 2 February 2024 15:05 , Tara Cobham
Mrs Justice Yip is now addressing the defendants, saying both told lies to the jury during the trial.
Turning to Scarlett Jenkinson, Mrs Justice Yip tells her that she’s changed her story but admitted that she enjoyed her part in the murder of Brianna and that she “blurs the lines between fantasy and real life”.
She added that the case had “shocked the public”.
Motivation for murder was a ‘deep-rooted desire to kill'
Friday 2 February 2024 15:10 , Tara Cobham, in court
“The primary motivation for Brianna’s murder was your deep-rooted desire to kill,” Mrs Justice Yip told Jenkinson.
Describing the murder as “exceptionally brutal”, she added: “Your actions after the event confirm you enjoyed the killing. Taking all that evidence into account, this was a murder involving sadistic conduct.”
Despite not being the driving force, she said that it would be “wholly wrong” to suggest Ratcliffe was under Jenkinson’s control. “I am satisfied that you are quite capable of holding your own views,” the judge said.
Ratcliffe 'saw murder plans as a project'
Friday 2 February 2024 15:19 , Holly Evans
The court heard that the pair had been “good friends” since they were 11 years old, and Ratcliffe had been “able to question Scarlett and say no to helping when it did not suit you”.
“In some ways Scarlett looked up to you - she saw you as cleverer than her,” the judge said.
However, Jenkinson was able to help Ratcliffe socially, particularly with talking to a girl he liked.
The judge noted that Ratcliffe had “displayed hostility” towards Brianna due to her being transgender, and had sent “unpleasant messages” that were transphobic. He regularly had used dehumanised Brianna by frequently referring to her as “it”.
Brianna was killed with ‘exceptional brutality'
Friday 2 February 2024 15:21 , Tara Cobham
Mrs Justice Yip said Jenkinson had “enjoyed” killing Brianna.
She continued: “Scarlett, your motivation was to act out your fantasies.
“Brianna’s injuries showed she was killed with exceptional brutality. This was a murder involved sadistic conduct.
“You both took part in a brutal and planned murder which was sadistic in nature and a secondary motivation was hostility to Brianna because of her transgender identity.”
Jenkinson and Ratcliffe jailed for life for Brianna's murder
Friday 2 February 2024 15:25 , Holly Evans
A judge has jailed Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe for life for the murder of Brianna Ghey.
Passing sentence at Manchester Crown Court on Friday, judge Mrs Justice Yip set Jenkinson’s minimum term at 22 years and Ratcliffe’s at 20 years.
The 322 days both have spent on remand will be taken off their total sentences.
Both killers participated in a ‘sadistic’ murder
Friday 2 February 2024 15:32 , Holly Evans
Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe both took part in a “brutal, planned murder” which was “sadistic in nature,” the judge said.
Mrs Justice Yip said it is “plain this was murder of particularly high seriousness” and the part both teenagers played led to the starting point of 20 years.
She noted that it was motivated partly by hostility towards Brianna because of her transgender identity.
Justice Yip says she is also keeping in mind their young age, and told them they “must be sentenced with the hope, if not the immediate expectation, that you can one day be rehabilitated - however cruel that may seem to those who have lost a loved one”.
Crown Prosecution Service to give statement
Friday 2 February 2024 15:39 , Holly Evans
A spokesperson for the Crown Prosecution Service is due to give a statement outside Manchester Crown Court shortly.
Watch moment Brianna Ghey’s murderers Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe sentenced to life in prison
Friday 2 February 2024 15:42 , Holly Evans
Watch moment Brianna Ghey’s murderers sentenced to life in prison
Case was ‘one of the most disturbing cases the CPS have had to deal with’
Friday 2 February 2024 15:49 , Holly Evans
Speaking outside the court, seniorcrown prosecutor Nicola Wyn Williams said: “At just 16, Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe are convicted killers, responsible for the brutal murder of a vulnerable young girl who thought they were her friends.
“They have been given a life term of imprisonment and have shown no remorse.
“The planning, violence and the age of the killers is beyond belief. The two appear to have had a deadly influence on each other and turned what may have started out as dark fantasies about murder into a reality.
“The messages between the two provided a terrifying insight into the warped desires and fantasies of the two defendants. However, they also provided us with the motivation behind the attack, the plans and then the attempts to cover it up.
“Today’s sentence reflects the brutality of the two killers’ heartless crime – and while it cannot erase the pain of Brianna’s loss, we hope it brings some closure.
“The Crown Prosecution Service would again like to thank Brianna’s family for the courage and dignity they have shown throughout the proceedings, and our thoughts and sympathies remain with them at this difficult time.”
CPS believes killing was transphobic hate crime
Friday 2 February 2024 15:59 , Holly Evans
The CPS has said it believes Brianna Ghey’s “brutal” and “heartless” murder was a hate crime driven by transphobia.
Speaking outside Manchester Crown Court on Friday, Nicola Wyn Williams, senior crown prosecutor for Mersey Cheshire, said the CPS is “pleased the court has agreed this was a motive”.
She said: “We applied to the judge for an increase in the defendants’ sentences because we believed this killing was a hate crime, motivated in part by hostility towards Brianna because she was transgender.
“We are pleased the court has agreed this was a motive.
Killers made no visible reaction to prison sentences
Friday 2 February 2024 16:13 , Holly Evans
Jenkinson made no reaction as she was told she must serve more than two decades behind bars.
She sat blinking occasionally as she was addressed by the judge and briefly asked a question of her intermediary, or approved adult, sat beside her in the dock.
Her mother, sat to her right in the public gallery, dabbed tears from her eyes with tissue.
Ratcliffe, also seated and looking directly in front of him, made no visible reaction as he was sentenced.
He was led down to the cells without looking over at his mother, who was sat to the left of the dock.
Police say killers have shown ‘no remorse’ for the pain caused
Friday 2 February 2024 16:24 , Holly Evans
Following the sentencing, DI Nige Parr said: “This has been a challenging and complex investigation from the very beginning and while I am pleased that the two responsible for Brianna’s brutal and senseless murder have been handed significant sentences, there is no escaping the tragedy in this case.
“Thankfully, Brianna’s family will finally see those responsible for her murder being punished for their part in this shocking crime.
“Jenkinson and Ratcliffe have shown absolutely no remorse for the pain they have caused, refusing to admit responsibility for their actions and selfishly subjected Brianna’s family, and their own families, to the ordeal of a trial.
“I would like to express my sincere condolences to Brianna’s family. They have shown an immense amount of courage and dignity throughout the investigation and the trial, and this has been an incredibly difficult experience for them. I hope that they can now in some way start to rebuild their lives after going through so much pain and grief.”
Fundraiser for Brianna Ghey passes £50,000
Friday 2 February 2024 16:37 , Holly Evans
A fundraiser in memory of Brianna Ghey, which is raising money for the Mindfulness in Schools Project, has passed £50,000.
Brianna’s mother, Esther Ghey, said she had “decided to help make a difference to our society to reduce the risk of this happening again to another young person”.
The fundraising page says mindfulness techniques in schools “will allow children to process and deal with negative emotions in a healthy way - preventing mental health problems from developing in later life”.
Killer’s new school kept in dark over her having drugged another pupil
Friday 2 February 2024 17:27 , Jane Dalton
The school to which one of Brianna Ghey’s killers was moved before murdering the 16-year-old was not told their new pupil had already drugged a younger girl with a cannabis sweet.
Teachers were told only that Scarlett Jenkinson had been caught with cannabis edibles and was being given a “second chance”, an investigation has found:
Brianna Ghey’s killer’s new school was not told she had drugged another pupil
Killers show no reaction to being jailed
Friday 2 February 2024 17:38 , Jane Dalton
Jenkinson made no reaction as she was told she must serve more than two decades behind bars.
She sat blinking occasionally as she was addressed by the judge and briefly asked a question of her intermediary, or approved adult, seated beside her in the dock.
Her mother, seated to her right in the public gallery, dabbed tears from her eyes with a tissue.
Ratcliffe, also seated and looking directly in front of him, made no visible reaction as he was sentenced.
He was led down to the cells without looking over at his mother, who was seated to the left of the dock.
Teenage girl enjoyed killing Brianna and wanted to kill again, court told
Friday 2 February 2024 17:55 , Jane Dalton
Scarlett Jenkinson had enjoyed the killing, the excitement causing her to stab Brianna Ghey more times and she found the thought of violence sexually arousing, with a desire to kill again, Manchester Crown Court heard.
Her accomplice Eddie Ratcliffe had also expressed transphobia about his victim, Mrs Justice Yip ruled.
The judge said the “exceptionally brutal” murder had elements of both sadism by Jenkinson and transphobic hate on the part of Ratcliffe.
The trial heard Jenkinson and Ratcliffe had a fascination for violence, torture and murder and a thirst for killing.
Jenkinson became obsessed by Brianna
Friday 2 February 2024 18:15 , Jane Dalton
Jenkinson, whose parents are teachers and lives close to the park in Culcheth, had been asked to leave her school, Culcheth High, over giving cannabis-laced gummy sweets to another pupil and joined Brianna’s school, Birchwood High, in October 2022 and quickly became “obsessed” with the transgender girl.
Along with Ratcliffe, from Leigh, whose mother is a skiing instructor and whose father runs his own businesses, she drew up a “kill list” of four other youths they wanted to harm until Brianna had the “misfortune” to be befriended by Jenkinson.
Watch: Hundreds mourned murdered pupil
Friday 2 February 2024 18:35 , Jane Dalton
Hundreds of people gathered to remember Brianna Ghey in Bristol days after she was murdered.
Candlelit vigil for Brianna Ghey held in Bristol to remember schoolgirl
Victim’s parents say killers should never be free
Friday 2 February 2024 18:55 , Jane Dalton
Brianna’s parents told the sentencing hearing the pair should never be released from prison.
Esther Ghey, her mother, said: “I don’t believe that someone who is so disturbed and obsessed with murder and torture would ever be able to be rehabilitated.
Earlier this year she branded the killers cowards:
Brianna Ghey’s mother calls killers cowards and calls for compassion towards families
No jail time will ever be enough, says Brianna’s father
Friday 2 February 2024 19:12 , Jane Dalton
Brianna’s father, Peter Spooner, said: “No amount of time spent in prison will be enough for these monsters” as he branded his daughter’s killers “pure evil”.
Brianna Ghey’s father says ‘evil monsters’ who killed daughter should be forgotten
Full report: Brianna Ghey’s teenage killers jailed for life
Friday 2 February 2024 19:34 , Jane Dalton
Two teenagers with a “thirst for killing” have been jailed for life for the brutal murder of Brianna Ghey, after they were finally publicly identified. Full report:
Brianna Ghey’s killers Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe named and jailed
Shy, depressed teenager had thousands of online followers
Friday 2 February 2024 19:50 , Jane Dalton
Brianna Ghey had thousands of followers on TikTok, but in reality was a withdrawn, shy and anxious teenager who struggled with depression and rarely left her home. She was said to have been bullied at school.
‘Bullied’ Brianna Ghey said she was excluded from school in TikTok days before death
Jenkinson watched videos of murder and torture on dark web
Friday 2 February 2024 20:40 , Jane Dalton
Scarlett Jenkinson, at the age of 14, downloaded an internet browser app to watch videos of the torture and murder of real people in “red rooms” on the “dark web”.
She grew an interest in serial killers, making notes on their methods and admitted enjoying “dark fantasies” about killing and torture, the pair living in a secret world of warped interests in murder and cruelty, the trial heard.
Jurors at Manchester Crown Court were told it was “difficult to fathom” how the two child defendants could carry out such a disturbing crime.
Killer’s family thank victim’s mother for empathy and compassion
Friday 2 February 2024 21:41 , Jane Dalton
The family of killer Scarlett Jenkinson have offered their “sincere thanks” to Esther Ghey, the mother of murdered Brianna Ghey for her “incredible selflessness and empathy” towards them.
“Her compassion is overwhelming and we are forever grateful,” they said in a statement to the Warrington Guardian.
Killer’s parents back life sentence for their daughter
Friday 2 February 2024 22:41 , Jane Dalton
The parents of killer Scarlett Jenkinson say they agree with the life sentence their daughter was given.
The past 12 months have been beyond their “worst nightmares” as they realised the brutal truth of their daughter’s actions, they said.
In a statement to the Warrington Guardian, they said: “All of our thoughts are for Brianna and her family.
“The last 12 months have been beyond our worst nightmares as we have come to realise the brutal truth of Scarlett’s actions.”
Jenkinson’s parents apologise to Brianna’s family and friends
Friday 2 February 2024 23:06 , Alex Ross
The parents of killer Scarlett Jenkinson have issued an apology to Brianna’s friends and family and the community.
They said their lives were in turmoil, but that their immediate focus was to make sure that they “don’t do anything against the wishes of Brianna’s family”.
They told the Warrington Guardian: “To all of Brianna’s family and friends, our community and everyone else that has been affected by this horror, we are truly sorry.”
They said they had set up an email address, GirlXMedia@Gmail.com, to help coordinate media enquiries.
Watch: Brianna Ghey’s mother launches campaign in memory of daughter
Friday 2 February 2024 23:41 , Jane Dalton
Brianna Ghey’s mother’s pledge as she launches campaign in memory of daughter
How torture-obsessed teenagers plotted murder
Saturday 3 February 2024 00:20 , Jane Dalton
Scarlett Jenkinson, a teenage girl with a fascination for serial killers watched her favourite film Sweeney Todd as she and Eddie Ratcliffe put the finishing touches to a meticulous plan for a brutal murder. The following day, they lured transgender teenager Brianna Ghey to a park in Culcheth, near Warrington:
How teenagers obsessed with torture and murder plotted Brianna Ghey’s killing
Watch: The moment the killers were arrested
Saturday 3 February 2024 02:30 , Jane Dalton
Killer Scarlett Jenkinson faked innocence during arrest
Saturday 3 February 2024 03:40 , Jane Dalton
Watch: Brianna Ghey killer Scarlett Jenkinson fakes innocence during police arrest
Teenage killers went home after murder as if nothing had happened
Saturday 3 February 2024 04:45 , Jane Dalton
As Brianna lay dying, Scarlett Jenkinson deleted a Snapchat conversation between them and began inventing a cover story.
Afterwards, both teenagers went home and carried on as if nothing had happened.
Jenkinson later posted an online tribute with a photo of her victim, saying: “Brianna was one of the best people I have ever met and such an amazing friend it’s so f****** sickening what got done to her.”
An hour later, both she and Eddie Ratcliffe were under arrest.
Detectives found the murder weapon with Brianna’s blood on the blade in Ratcliffe’s bedroom, along with heavily blood-stained clothing and trainers.
At Jenkinson’s home, they found a handwritten note detailing the murder plan and naming Brianna as the victim.
Messages on their phones detailed their fascination with murder, torture and death, plans to kill other children and an earlier attempt to give Brianna an overdose.
Watch: How Brianna met her killer
Saturday 3 February 2024 05:50 , Jane Dalton
Twisted notebook of serial killer-obsessed murderer
Saturday 3 February 2024 06:58 , Jane Dalton
Chilling handwritten notes reveal how Scarlett Jenkinson planned the brutal killing of Brianna Ghey and her obsession with murder, torture and serial killers:
Inside the twisted notebook of Brianna Ghey’s serial killer-obsessed murderer
Brianna Ghey’s teenage killers Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe named and jailed for life
Saturday 3 February 2024 08:04 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Two teenagers were jailed for life on Friday for the murder of Brianna Ghey in an attack described as sadistic and transphobic.
Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe, both now aged 16 but 15 at the time of the attack, were also identified following the lifting of an anonymity order by Ms Justice Yip at Manchester Crown Court.
As she warned the pair they may never be released from prison, Ms Justice Yip handed Jenkinson a minimum term of 22 years, while Ratcliffe must serve at least 20 years before parole.
Brianna Ghey’s killers Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe named and jailed
Inside the twisted notebook of Brianna Ghey’s serial killer-obsessed murderer
Saturday 3 February 2024 09:11 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Chilling handwritten notes reveal how Scarlett Jenkinson planned the brutal killing of Brianna Ghey and her obsession with murder, torture and serial killers.
Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe, both now aged 16 but 15 at the time of the attack, were unmasked on Friday as the pair who stabbed Brianna to death in a “frenzied” knife attack near Warrington last year.
The teenagers, who face life behind bars, lured transgender Brianna, 16, to Culcheth Linear Park on 11 February;
Inside the twisted notebook of Brianna Ghey’s serial killer-obsessed murderer
Heartbroken family of 'pure evil’ killer Scarlett Jenkinson breaks silence
Saturday 3 February 2024 09:46 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
The family of killer Scarlett Jenkinson has broken their silence as they said they have been living out their “worst nightmares”.
In a statement to the Warrington Guardian, Scarlett Jenkinson’s family said: “All of our thoughts are for Brianna and her family.
“The last 12 months have been beyond our worst nightmares as we have come to realise the brutal truth of Scarlett’s actions.
“We agree with the jury’s verdict, the judge’s sentence and the decision to name the culprits.”
Saying their lives were “in turmoil”, the family thanked Brianna‘s mother Esther Ghey for her “incredible selflessness and empathy towards our family”.
“Her compassion is overwhelming and we are forever grateful,” they said.
Brianna Ghey’s father says ‘evil monsters’ who killed daughter should be forgotten
Saturday 3 February 2024 10:45 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Brianna Ghey’s father said the “evil monsters” who killed his teenage daughter should be forgotten.
Peter Spooner, disagreed with the judge’s decision to identify the teenage killers ahead of their sentencing on Friday as he fears their names will be “tied to Brianna’s all the time”.
“At first, I thought they should be named,” Brianna’s father told Sky News. “Why should they be protected? People should know who they are. Now, I think their names are always going to be tied to Brianna’s all the time,” he said. “I think they should just be forgotten about, locked up and not be spoken about again. They’re nothing.
“If I’m honest I hate them. They’re just evil for what they’ve done and I don’t think they’ll ever change. They’ll always be monsters. And that’s what they are to me.”
Victim impact statements from Brianna’s familly
Saturday 3 February 2024 12:15 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Victim impact statements from Brianna’s family were read out at the sentencing hearing in Manchester Crown Court on Friday.
Brianna’s stepfather Wesley Powell said the pair had taken advantage of her vulnerabilities and need for a close friend, acting as “two predators stalking their prey”.
“Brianna had a large online following but in reality she was lonely, vulnerable and in need of a close friend,” he said. “Both Eddie and Scarlett knew this and preyed upon her vulnerabilities, acting as two predators stalking their prey.”
In her statement, Brianna’s mother Esther Ghey said she had been pleased when Brianna told her she had gone to meet a friend on the day she died.
“I thought that she would have a wonderful time, hanging around with her friend and getting some fresh air,” she said. “When all that time she was being lured to her death.
“All I can think about is that she would have been scared and I wasn’t there for her. She needed me to protect her, Brianna wasn’t a fighter and she must have been so terrified.”
Click here to read the full blog on The Independent's website
