Mum’s ‘wish’ for teenage daughter before she was brutally murdered

Esther Ghey has revealed her “wish” for her daughter’s final years of living before she was brutally murdered. Brianna Ghey, from Warrington, was 16 years old when she was lured to Culcheth Linear Park by her killers Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe.

The Birchwood Community High School pupil was ambushed and stabbed 28 times on February 11 last year. Her body was later discovered in the park by members of the public who were walking their dog. The two teenage killers planned their attack in sickening messages exchanged on WhatsApp and were inspired by content available on the dark web.

Since her daughter's murder Esther has campaigned for mindfulness to be implemented in schools and for safer regulations around young people's internet access. In her latest bid of campaigning, the mum-of-two is co-hosting a podcast series, titled Parents vs The Internet, in Brianna’s legacy.

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The ten-part series sees Esther, a new product development technologist, link up with journalist Liz Hull as they speak with special guests to explore “how we can keep our children safer”.

Released this week, episode one sees Esther joined by Emma Mills, the headteacher of Brianna’s secondary school, as she reveals her “wish”. The mum said: “When Brianna was with us, she really struggled with her mental health. She had an eating disorder, she had anxiety, and she was self-harming.

“She was not attending school full-time because of her anxiety. It was impacting her life and health massively. I found out after her death she had been accessing content online that was encouraging her to harm herself.

“On the other hand, Scarlett Jenkinson had also been accessing the dark web and Brianna’s murder was planned over WhatsApp. I wish Brianna’s final years were much happier and that she enjoyed the final years of her life. I think life is so short, we mustn’t waste it. I think if I can change how things are for young people and improve the mental health of young people then that will be Brianna’s legacy.”

Each 25-minute episode is a conversation with guests including trans activist Jaxon Feely; Ofcom's policy director for child safety; as well as therapists, authors and survivors of mental illness. Over the course, listeners will explore how mobile phone companies can take responsibility for safeguarding children and how phones can be set up in an age-appropriate way.

Esther added: “This podcast isn’t about scaremongering, it’s not about putting fear into parents. It’s about educating as I wasn’t aware of what Brianna was accessing and I wish I had known because when you are educated and have this knowledge it is only then that you can actually make a change and that you can help.”

Asked about Brianna as a pupil, Emma said she was one “you didn’t forget easily”. She said: “She was a determined young lady. She had a very strong sense of who she was and a strong sense of who she wanted to be as a person as well.

“Her creativity is something I always think of when I think of Brianna. She had a real artistic and fashion streak in her. She was somebody who spoke her own mind and was very confident in speaking what she thought. She made us laugh on a regular basis.”