Brianna Ghey news – live: ‘Pure evil’ killers Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe jailed for life

✕Close

Brianna Ghey's killers sentenced to 22 and 20 years in prison for teen's murder

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails

Sign up to our free breaking news emails

Two teenage killers have been jailed for life for the “frenzied and ferocious” murder of Brianna Ghey.

Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe stabbed the transgender 16-year-old 28 times with a hunting knife in a horrific attack on 11 February after luring her to Linear Park near Warrington.

Known as Girl X and Boy Y during their trial, they were named after Mrs Justice Yip ruled that their anonymity order could be lifted given the harrowing nature of their crimes.

For the sadistic murder, Jenkinson has been jailed for a minimum term of 22 years, while Ratcliffe must serve 20 years.

A four-week trial at Manchester Crown Court heard that the pair had a fascination with violence, torture and serial killers, with Jenkinson wanting to keep a part of Brianna’s flesh as a “token”.

Both now aged 16 but 15 at the time, they had created a “kill list” of four other youths before Brianna unfortunately befriended Jenkinson in school and became the sole target.

Brianna’s mother, Esther Ghey, has said that she wanted the minimum terms her daughter’s “cowardly” killers must serve in custody to be “as long as possible”.

Show latest update 1706901132

No jail time will ever be enough, says Brianna’s father

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

Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe, both 16, brutally murdered 16-year-old Brianna in a frenzied killing on February 11 last year

Jane Dalton2 February 2024 19:121706900112

Victim’s parents say killers should never be free

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

Brianna, 16, was stabbed 28 times with a hunting knife to her head, neck and chest after she was lured to a park near Warrington last year

Jane Dalton2 February 2024 18:551706898912

Watch: Hundreds mourned murdered pupil

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

Hundreds of people gathered to remember Brianna Ghey in Bristol on the evening of Tuesday, 14 February. The 16-year-old, who was transgender, was stabbed to death in a park in Cheshire on Saturday. Cheshire Police have said they are pursuing all lines of inquiry, including whether it was a hate crime, following her death. Vigils have been planned across the country to remember the schoolgirl. On Bristol’s College Green, people lit candles to pay their respects to the “much-loved daughter.” Click here to sign up for our newsletters.

Jane Dalton2 February 2024 18:351706897712

Jenkinson became obsessed by Brianna

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.

Jane Dalton2 February 2024 18:151706896512

Teenage girl enjoyed killing Brianna and wanted to kill again, court told

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.

Jane Dalton2 February 2024 17:551706895517

Killers show no reaction to being jailed

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.

Jane Dalton2 February 2024 17:381706894866

Killer’s new school kept in dark over her having drugged another pupil

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

Teenager poisoned 13-year-old victim with cannabis sweet just months before murder but she was given ‘second chance’

Jane Dalton2 February 2024 17:271706891835

Fundraiser for Brianna Ghey passes £50,000

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”.

Holly Evans2 February 2024 16:371706891074

Police say killers have shown ‘no remorse’ for the pain caused

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.”

Holly Evans2 February 2024 16:241706890420

Killers made no visible reaction to prison sentences

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.

Holly Evans2 February 2024 16:13NewerOlder✕

Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article

Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.

SubscribeAlready subscribed? Log in

Popular videos

{{/link}}