Brianna Ghey killer, 15, appeals murder conviction over frenzied knife attack

07 March 2024 , 12:23

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Eddie Ratcliffe's custody image was released after he was jailed (Image: PA)

One of the killers of teenager Brianna Ghey has appealed his murder conviction.

Eddie Ratcliffe was 15 when he and Scarlett Jenkinson lured Brianna, 16, to Linear Park in Culcheth, near Warrington, where she was stabbed 28 times in her head, neck and back with a hunting knife on 11 February last year.

He was jailed last month for a minimum of 20 years for Brianna's murder, but now the teenager has lodged an appeal over his sentence, judicial officials have confirmed today. A spokeswoman for the Judicial Communications Office said Ratcliffe had requested permission to appeal against his sentence. Any decision on granting the appeal will be taken by a senior judge.

Ratcliffe and Jenkinson drew up a “kill list” of five people they deemed worthy of murder over insignificant or minor dislikes. Brianna, though, represented an easy kill, Manchester Crown Court heard. A handwritten note, discovered by police in Jenkinson's bedroom in Warrington, was headed: "Saturday 11th February 2023. Victim: Brianna Ghey."

Sitting at the same court, Judge Mrs Justice Yip had identified Jenkinson and Ratcliffe, who were subject to anonymity throughout their four-week trial last year. Jurors took four hours to deliberate and find both teenagers guilty in December 2023.

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She added: "How long you will actually serve will not be decided today. You will only be released if in the future it is decided that you no longer present a danger - that decision will be for the parole board. If you remain a danger you will serve very much longer than the minimum term and may never be released."

Esther, the mum of 16-year-old Brianna Ghey, has been campaigning on teens' access to social media since the murder of her daughter

Deanna Heer, prosecuting, told the court the murder is a "very unusual case" with little legal precedent. She added: "The prosecution would submit that there is evidence which is capable of proving that this offence was motivated at least in part by hostility towards Brianna's transgender identity. In Eddie's case there was evidence that he spoke about Brianna in disparaging terms with respect to her transgender identity."

Footage shared by Cheshire Police shows the moment Jenkinson was arrested. In the clip, the tearful juvenile mutters: "how come I am a suspect" as officers detain her. Jenknson was arrested at her home in Warrington at 7.32pm on February 12 last year, while Ratcliffe was held at his home in Leigh, Greater Manchester at 7.34pm, their trial was told. Ratcliffe was found upstairs at his home by police when they attended. He was initially seen handcuffed and on knees. Additional videos released today show the moment Ratcliffe casually got on his bus home after killing Brianna.

During the sentencing hearing, Richard Pratt KC, defending Jenkinson, said: It would seem completely extraordinary, but for the evidence of her interests and her admiration for notorious killers."

Scarlett Jenkinson was jailed last month (Cheshire Police / SWNS)

It emerged last month that Ratcliffe's dad is a convicted paedophile. Kyle Ratcliffe, 36, was jailed for 15 months at Manchester Crown Court after admitting two offences of exposure and one count of taking an indecent photo of a child.

Kyle Ratcliffe, from Leigh, Greater Manchester, who today appeared from custody at HMP Forest Bank, Salford, admitted two offences of exposure in November last year involving two 16-year-old girls at a bus stop. The offences were committed shortly before his son went on trial on November 27.

He also pleaded guilty to taking an indecent photo of a pre-pubescent girl by covertly recording a video of her in a changing room in August last year. The court heard he has previous past convictions for similar offences.

Bradley Jolly