02 February 2024 , 17:26
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Chilling CCTV footage captured Brianna Ghey ’s final hours and includes her bus journey to meet her killers, the moments after her death - and the later arrest of her killers.
Brianna was 16 when she was murdered by two teenagers in Culcheth Linear Park in Warrington, Cheshire. Today, Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe, both now 16, were sentenced to life and given minimum terms of 22 and 20 years before parole. In new footage released today by police, Jenkinson and Ratcliffe lured the doomed teenager to Linear Park in Culcheth in February last year where she was stabbed 28 times in a frenzied attack and died of her awful wounds.
Ring Doorbell footage released by Cheshire Police shows Brianna, wearing a white hoodie, black skirt and knee-length socks, as she left home for the last time. She is seen walking down the path to the gate, opening it, and heading out, still texting as she passes out of sight of the camera. She had messaged her mum, Esther Ghey, to say: "I'm leaving to see Scarlett, dogs are locked up."
Doorbell footage showing Brianna Ghey leaving home (PA)Earlier, Jenkinson had sent her instructions to meet, chillingly telling her to buy a single ticket - not a return. A short while later, the video showed Brianna boarding the number 28 Warrington’s Own Buses service from Birchwood train station to Culcheth Library at 1.38pm. In the video, she is seen paying the fare and taking her seat.
During the trial, bus driver Kieran Mercer told the court: "From the moment I saw her, I felt there was something odd about her. I felt as if she was going out of her way not to be seen. She was very timid and quietly spoken. She gave the impression she was just someone who wanted to be left alone."
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Brianna (BG) walking with her killers, Jenkinson (X) and Ratcliffe (Y) (PA)She got off the bus at 1.53pm and met her killers at a bus stop near Culcheth Library, and they then walked to Linear Park together. CCTV captured her walking alongside Jenkinson as Ratcliffe lingered to the right of them as they made their way to the park. There, the court heard the two teens used a codeword to signal when to start the attack to kill Brianna.
Police found a 'murder plan' in Jenkinson's bedroom when she was arrested, with a love heart and smiley face doodled on the top corner of the page. It was read out in court by Prosecutor Deanna Heer KC, who said: "Meet Ratcliffe at wooden posts 1pm. Walk down to the library ... bus stop. Wait until Brianna gets off the bus then the 3 of us walk to Linear Park. Go to the pipe/tunnel area. I say code word to Ratcliffe. He stabs her in the back as I stab her in the stomach. Ratcliffe drags the body into the area. We both cover up the area with logs etc."
Eddie Ratcliffe boarding a bus (PA)The teenager was later found by a husband and wife out walking their dog. She was later pronounced dead at the scene. Later, dashcam footage showed the murderous teenagers leaving the park together, having killed Brianna. They were seen walking home together and Ratcliffe had his hood up. Footage then showed him boarding the no.38 service home to Leigh.
Within 24 hours of Brianna's death, investigating officers identified the pair - prompted by Jenkinson's mum phoning police to tell them her daughter had been in the park with Brianna. Body-worn footage later showed the moment of the arrest of Jenkinson. She was shown crying and asked: “ "How come I'm a suspect? Is it because I was the last person to see her alive?"
The moment Jenkinson was arrested (PA)The four-week trial heard Brianna, 16, was stabbed to death in a "sustained and violent assault" with a hunting knife in a park in Culcheth near Warrington, Cheshire on a Saturday afternoon last February. The defendants, for weeks, had exchanged messages about killing people and a detailed plan for Brianna's murder. They were just 15 at the time of the killing.