12 December 2023 , 19:16
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Two teens accused of murdering Brianna Ghey sent each other news stories about the stabbing, a court has heard.
Messages between the two accused, named only as Girl X and Boy Y for legal reasons, were read out before the jury on Tuesday as Girl X gave evidence for a second day at Manchester crown court. Both are accused of murder and deny the charge.
Brianna, 16, was stabbed to death at Culcheth Linear Park in Warrington, Cheshire, on February 11 this year. In a cross-examination of Girl X's evidence on Tuesday, prosecuting barrister Deanna Heer KC asked her why she had sent news articles covering the stabbing to others, including Boy Y.
Ms Heer asked Girl X if she was worried when “it hit the national news”, to which she said no because she knew “it wasn’t me that killed Brianna”. The barrister continued that the story “was of national interest” asking about Snapchat messages the defendant sent to Brianna.
The girl admitted she did “get a little bit worried" simply because she knew the messages "wouldn’t look great, so I started messaging Brianna’s phone”. The trial entered its third week of evidence this week, with the defence also to hear from co-accused Boy Y later this week.
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Girl X was also quizzed about a Facebook message she received from a woman saying she'd seen her in Linear Park, with Ms Heer asking: "Did that make you think you were going to be caught by the police?” Girl X replied: “A bit, yes.”
When questioned about a tribute posted on Snapchat to Brianna after the news broke, Girl X denied she had shared this to make people "think that [she] would never do something like this", saying she shared it as she was upset about her friend's death.
“Brianna was your friend throughout this period," Ms Heer added. "You didn’t go to the police to tell them who had killed her so that her family would know what happened to her. But you put up on Snapchat this photograph, and you thought that was a good memorial, did you?” Girl X replied, “yes”.
The court also heard on Tuesday that Girl X lied to her mum and to the police to protect herself and Boy Y, which she admitted, but denied that she and Boy Y were "in it together" and that they'd both conspired to kill Brianna. She also denied that she and Boy Y "lured" Brianna to the park on the day in question or helped in any way with the stabbing.
Evidence was brought up again from one witness who previously told the court she had seen Girl X and Boy Y at the scene "standing by Brianna's body". Girl X told the court this was "to see if she was breathing".
Ms Heer asked her: “You told the jury Boy Y had gone by then. You’re lying aren't you?” to which she replied "no". Both Girl X and Boy Y deny murder.
The trial continues.