Brianna Ghey's family slam 'predator' killers who 'left her bleeding to death'

02 February 2024 , 12:38

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Brianna's mum Esther Ghey arrives at Manchester Crown Court for the hearing (Image: PA)

Brianna Ghey's grieving family told a court they "have moments where they feel sorry" for teenager murderers Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe, who stabbed their trans daughter to death.

But, speaking at Manchester Crown Court today (Friday, February 2) ahead of the pair's sentencing for murder, Brianna’s mother Esther said she believed Jenkinson and Ratcliffe continued to be a danger to society. She said: “I don’t believe that someone who is so disturbed and obsessed with murder and torture would ever be able to be rehabilitated.

"I have moments where I feel sorry for them, because they have also ruined their own lives, but I have to remember that they felt no empathy for Brianna when they left her bleeding to death after their premeditated and vicious attack, which was carried out not because Brianna had done anything wrong, but just because one hated trans people and the other thought it would be fun.”

Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe have today been revealed as the two teenagers who murdered Brianna Ghey (PA)

And in another statement read out in court, Brianna’s stepfather Wesley Powell said: “Brianna had a large online following but in reality she was lonely, vulnerable and in need of a close friend. Both Eddie and Scarlett knew this and preyed upon her vulnerabilities, acting as two predators stalking their prey.”

After the victim personal statements were read to the court, Mrs Justice Yip said: “They were very moving statements. I can feel the emotion in the courtroom.”

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Brianna Ghey was murdered in a park in Warrington last year (PA)

Anxious and vulnerable, unsuspecting transgender schoolgirl Brianna was stabbed with a hunting knife 28 times in her head, neck, chest and back after being lured to Linear Park, Culcheth, a village near Warrington, Cheshire, on the afternoon of February 11 last year. Manchester Crown Court heard that Jenkinson had been seen by a psychiatrist after she was convicted of murder last December and made “admissions”.

Deanna Heer KC, prosecuting, said: “She said effectively, she said that at the time of the killing she had in fact administered stab wounds herself. She had snatched the knife from Eddie’s hand and stabbed Brianna repeatedly.

“She said Eddie had thrown Brianna to the floor and stabbed her three or four times then he panicked and said he did not want to kill her, so she carried on and stabbed her a number of times. When asked how many, she answered, ‘A lot.’ She was satisfied and excited by what she was doing.”

She also admitted an earlier incident when Brianna became ill came about in an attempt by her to poison her victim with pills. Ms Heer said, in a further account of events to a probation officer, Jenkinson had said she and Ratcliffe deliberately lured Brianna to the park.

Matt Clemenson