Brianna Ghey was a 16-year-old student at Birchwood Community High School in Warrington, England. She had endured years of violent bullying at school after coming out as trans, but was still remembered by her family as “strong, fearless, and one of a kind” in a statement released after her death. Ghey was active on TikTok, where she made videos for tens of thousands of followers and developed strong friendships with other trans girls in the U.K. and abroad. One of her friends, Channah, told Vice that Ghey helped other trans youth access hormones and medical care (no easy task in the U.K., where official waitlists for gender-affirming care can stretch up to seven years).

Brianna was one of the most open people I’ve ever met,” Channah said, adding, “I’m just so angry and sad. The sweetest 16-year-old girl who was a beacon of positivity, now gone.”

Teenagers jailed for ‘exceptionally brutal’ murder of Brianna Ghey

The teenage pair who murdered Brianna Ghey have been sentenced to life in prison for an “exceptionally brutal” killing partly motivated by her transgender identity.

Scarlett Jenkinson, who was described by the judge as the “driving force” behind the murder, was sentenced to a minimum of 22 years for what the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said was “one of the most disturbing cases” their lawyers had ever dealt with.

Eddie Ratcliffe, a quiet and studious former champion kickboxer, was given 20 years for killing Brianna, an “out and proud” transgender girl who hoped to become a beauty therapist.

The pair, both 16, were named for the first time before the sentencing after the judge lifted reporting restrictions.

Sentencing, Mrs Justice Yip said: “You both took part in a brutal and planned murder which was sadistic in nature and where a secondary motive was hostility towards Brianna because of her transgender identity.”

She said Jenkinson was motivated by a “deep desire to kill”, and pronounced her concern on hearing that the teenager had “expressed the desire to kill again” after her conviction. She had written a new “kill list” since her detention, which included the names of some of her carers, the court heard.

Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe: Teenagers who tried to get away with Brianna Ghey murder

Within 24 hours of Brianna Ghey’s murder, investigating officers had identified the suspects – two teenagers who thought that hiding the most brutal of killings would be easy.

Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe, who were just 15 at the time, were quickly arrested at their homes and taken away for questioning.

Detectives would soon unravel the crime despite the killers arrogantly presuming their endless lies would save them.

Sixteen-year-old Brianna, who was transgender, was stabbed 28 times in broad daylight after being lured to Culcheth Linear Park in Warrington, Cheshire, on the afternoon of 11 February.

Jenkinson and Ratcliffe, who were referred to only as Girl X and Boy Y during their trial due to their ages, were convicted of her murder in December.

They were named publicly for the first time earlier as they were told they would be detained for at least 22 and 20 years respectively.

Trial judge Mrs Justice Yip agreed with media requests to lift an anonymity order which had prevented the media from publishing details that could identify them.

These details can now be reported for the first time.

Two teenagers jailed for life for the murder of Brianna Ghey

Two 16-year-olds, now named in open court as Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe, have been sentenced to a life term in prison today at Manchester Crown Court after having been convicted of murdering 16-year-old Brianna Ghey. Scarlett Jenkinson must serve a minimum of 22 years before she can be considered for parole. Eddie Ratcliffe must serve a minimum of 20 years before he can be considered for parole. They will remain on licence for life after release.

The pair were sentenced after the CPS successfully applied for the sentence to reflect that the murder was in part motivated by hostility towards the victim because she was transgender.

The killers, who were 15 at the time, spent months plotting to kill someone. They shared hundreds of WhatsApp messages in the run-up to the murder, sharing fantasies about murder and torture.

The pair had a list of several potential victims that they knew but eventually focused on Brianna Ghey, whom Scarlett had befriended.

Ratcliffe ‘never in trouble’

She told how she drove her son to Culcheth to meet with Jenkinson and Brianna on the afternoon of the murder.

“During [the] journey he was constantly checking his phone,” Ms Hemming said. “He seemed to be tense and moody, not like him at all.

“I don’t know why but I felt uneasy on this day.”

Ms Hemming said he had never been in trouble at school and was conscientious with his studies.

She said he does not drink, smoke or take drugs and was focused on his exams, eventually passing eight GCSEs, and had been planning to study microbiology at university.

But she also described his other characteristics, saying he has “a lot of autistic traits” including certain routines he sticks to around food and clothes.

“He spends a lot of time alone in his room,” she added.

“He does struggle to express himself. He’s very shy and lacks confidence. He finds it difficult to show his emotions.

“He’s a sensitive character. He’s a very caring person.”

Brianna Ghey: Boy and girl charged with murder of trans teen in English park

LondonCNN — 

Two schoolchildren have been charged with murder following the death of a 16-year-old transgender girl in an English village.

A boy and a girl, both aged 15, have been charged with the murder of Brianna Ghey, who was found dead in a park in Warrington in the country’s northwest on Saturday afternoon. The two teenagers cannot be named for legal reasons.

Members of the public contacted the emergency services at 3.13 p.m. that day after Ghey’s body was found on a path in Linear Park, in the village of Culcheth, police said. She was found with fatal stab wounds, police told CNN.

‘Dark time’

At one stage, Ms Ghey took Brianna’s phone off her and said she seemed so much happier, describing her at the hearing as “a different child”.

Ms Ghey said she was “thankful” and relieved when Brianna began socialising with Jenkinson, the court heard.

But in fact Jenkinson had been planning Brianna’s murder for weeks.

Ms Ghey said: “When police came to the door [in February 2023] I just knew something like this was going to happen. It was such a dark time.

“When Brianna was younger, she was a bundle of joy, in later years she was immersed in darkness.

“It sometimes feels like I’m grieving two different people.”

FAQs

Who was Brianna Ghey?

Brianna Ghey was a 16-year-old transgender girl from the UK who tragically passed away in February 2023. She was a vibrant and beloved member of her community, and her death sparked widespread conversations about transphobia, violence against transgender people, and the importance of supporting LGBTQ+ youth.

. How did Brianna Ghey pass away?

Brianna Ghey was found fatally injured in a park in Warrington, England, in February 2023. The details surrounding her death revealed that she had been the victim of a violent attack, which led to an outpouring of grief and calls for justice in the LGBTQ+ community and beyond.