On 11 February 2023, Brianna Ghey (/dʒaɪ/ JY), a 16-year-old British transgender girl, was murdered in a premeditated attack by Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe. After being lured into Culcheth Linear Park by Jenkinson, Ghey was fatally stabbed.

Jenkinson and Ratcliffe, both aged 15 at the time, were arrested the next day and eventually charged and convicted of murder. They were convicted on 20 December 2023 at Manchester Crown Court and were both sentenced on 2 February 2024 to life imprisonment, with a minimum of 22 years for Jenkinson and 20 years for Ratcliffe before being eligible for parole. The court decided the offence was primarily motivated by sadistic tendencies and that hate against transgender people was a secondary motivation of Ratcliffe. The murder involved a significant degree of brutality and planning.

Brianna Ghey was immersed in darkness, inquest told

Teenage murder victim Brianna Ghey struggled with her mental health and was “immersed in darkness” before she died, an inquest into her death has heard.

Brianna, who was 16, was stabbed to death by teenagers Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe in Culcheth Linear Park, in Warrington, in February 2023.

The two killers, who were both 15 at the time, are serving minimum sentences of 22 and 20 years respectively after being convicted of the transgender teenager’s murder.

Her family have said they want answers about why one of her killers was transferred to her school.

The inquest opened at Cheshire Coroner’s Court in Warrington earlier.

It heard Jenkinson was moved from Culcheth High School to Birchwood High School in a “managed transfer” because of her behaviour.

Teenagers guilty of ‘senseless’ murder of transgender girl Brianna Ghey

Two 16-year-olds have been found guilty of the “senseless” murder of Brianna Ghey, a “witty, funny and fearless” transgender girl who was stabbed 28 times in a Warrington park this year.

The murder-obsessed teenagers, known as Girl X and Boy Y to protect their identities, were found guilty unanimously by a jury at Manchester crown court on Wednesday after it deliberated for four hours and 40 minutes.

The judge, Mrs Justice Yip, said she would sentence the pair next month, and would decide whether to lift reporting restrictions so that the killers could be named.

She told the teenagers that she would have to impose a life sentence but that she needed to adjourn for further reports to decide on the minimum tariff they must serve.

The pair showed no reaction to the verdicts, but their mothers wept in the court. Afterwards, Brianna’s mother urged “empathy and compassion” for the killers’ parents, saying they “too have lost a child and must live the rest of their lives knowing what their child has done”.

Girl X, who was fascinated by serial killers and boasted of watching torture videos on the dark web, said she was “obsessed” with Brianna. She and Brianna had been friends for a few months before she began plotting to kill her, along with Y.

Vigils were held for Brianna, 16, after her murder prompted particular sorrow and fear among trans people, though Cheshire police said from the start they did not believe she was killed for being trans.

Nigel Parr, senior investigating officer for Cheshire police, said Brianna had been betrayed by two teenagers whose only motivation was to experience how it felt to kill. “This was a senseless murder committed by two teenagers who have an obsession with murder,” he added.

Y had never met Brianna until the day of the murder, which took place in the middle of the afternoon in Culcheth Linear Park on 11 February. The teenagers were disturbed by a couple walking their dog, and ran away, before being captured on CCTV making their way home calmly

Boy and girl convicted of murdering British transgender teenager Brianna Ghey in knife attack

A boy and a girl were found guilty Wednesday of murdering a transgender teenager in northwest England earlier this year, in a frenzied knife attack that was described as “horrific” by police.

Brianna Ghey, 16, was stabbed with a hunting knife 28 times in her head, neck, chest and back in broad daylight after being lured to a park in the town of Warrington on Feb. 11.

The convicted pair, who are identified only as girl X and boy Y, are 16 now but were 15 at the time. They denied killing Ghey, and each blamed the other for the fatal stabbing. It is not known which one or if both wielded the knife. Neither had been in trouble with police before.

A jury of seven men and five women convicted the two following a four-week trial at Manchester Crown Court. The jurors deliberated for just four hours and 40 minutes of deliberations.

Teenage murderer of Brianna Ghey has bid to challenge length of sentence dismissed

One of two teenagers convicted of murdering 16-year-old Brianna Ghey has had a bid to challenge the length of his sentence dismissed.

Brianna was stabbed 28 times with a hunting knife during the deadly attack by Eddie Ratcliffe and co-defendant Scarlett Jenkinson in a park near Warrington in February last year.

Ratcliffe, who was 15 at the time of the attack, was sentenced to life with a minimum term of 20 years in February this year, with a judge describing the murder as “exceptionally brutal” and finding that he had expressed transphobia about his victim.

16-year-old killers of transgender teenager Brianna Ghey sentenced in England for ‘sadistic’ murder

The two 16-year-old convicted murderers of a transgender teenager in northwest England nearly a year ago were handed life sentences Friday with minimum prison terms of 20 and 22 years.

Justice Amanda Yip lifted the reporting restrictions on naming the killers of 16-year-old Brianna Ghey. They were identified at Manchester Crown Court as Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe.

The horrific murder shocked the nation. Ghey was stabbed with a hunting knife 28 times in her head, neck, chest and back in broad daylight after being lured to a park in the town of Warrington on Feb. 11, 2023.

Yip handed Ratcliffe and Jenkinson a mandatory life sentence, and ordered them to serve a minimum term of 20 and 22 years, respectively, before they could be eligible for parole. If they had been adults — over the age of 18 — they would have faced much longer minimum terms. They will be transferred to adult prisons when they turn 18. Neither showed no visible reaction on being sentenced.

“You will only be released, if in the future, it is decided you no longer present a danger,” the judge said. “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.”

What does this mean for Restorative Justice?

The meeting of these two mothers, coming from two different perspectives, shows the power of communication and empathy. It also shows how Restorative Justice can take place amongst family members and the wider community who have been impacted by a crime. This reveals the breadth of possibilities within the restorative process and how transformative it can be for a variety of people.

The fact that Esther is open to collaborating with Scarlett’s mother on her campaigns going forward demonstrates how positive outcomes can arise through dialogue. By hearing each other’s perspectives in a face-to-face and respectful setting, the two women identified their similarities despite their experience on different sides of the justice system.

FAQs

What is the significance of Brianna Ghey’s death?

Brianna Ghey’s death highlighted the vulnerability of transgender individuals, especially transgender youth, to violence and discrimination. It sparked conversations about the ongoing struggles transgender people face, including hate crimes, lack of societal acceptance, and the urgent need for protective laws.

What has been done to honor Brianna Ghey’s memory?

Various campaigns, vigils, and public tributes have been organized to honor Brianna Ghey’s memory. Activists and allies continue to raise awareness about the challenges faced by transgender individuals and call for stronger legislation to prevent transphobic violence. Brianna’s family and friends have also spoken out, urging for greater respect and safety for transgender people.