Brianna Ghey – latest: Boy and girl appear in court charged with murder of trans teenager
Charges come as vigils held across UK to mourn loss of teenager
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Two teenagers have been remanded into youth detention after appearing at Chester Magistrates’ Court charged with the murder of Brianna Ghey.
The 15-year-old girl from Warrington, and a 15-year-old boy from Leigh, were not required to enter pleas to the charge.
Prosecutor Leanne Gallagher told the court Brianna’s death was “extremely brutal and punishing”.
Cheshire Police are exploring whether the teenager, who was a transgender girl, was the victim of a hate crime.
Detectives initially said there was no evidence to suggest the transgender teenager’s killing in Warrington, Cheshire on Saturday was “hate-related”.
Meanwhile, vigils have been held in a number of UK cities to mourn the loss of the 16-year-old.
Crowds gathered in Liverpool and Bristol on Tuesday night to pay tribute to Brianna, who was stabbed to death in a park at the weekend.
A GoFundMe appeal raising money for the teenager’s grieving family has already raised more than £70,000.
Two teenagers charged with murder of Brianna Ghey remanded into custody
Two teenagers charged with the murder of 16-year-old Brianna Ghey have been remanded into custody by a district judge.
The pair, a boy and a girl, both aged 15, appeared at Chester Magistrates’ Court, sitting as a youth court, on Wednesday and were not required to enter pleas to the charge.
Brianna, from Birchwood in Warrington, was found by members of the public as she lay with fatal stab wounds on a path in Culcheth Linear Park at around 3.13pm on Saturday.
Prosecutor Leanne Gallagher told the court Brianna’s death was “extremely brutal and punishing”.
Cheshire Police are exploring whether the teenager, who was a transgender girl, was the victim of a hate crime.
Brianna Ghey’s death was a tragedy waiting to happen
“The stabbing of teenager Brianna Ghey in Warrington is a terrible tragedy for her family and my heart goes out to them. Two 15-year-olds have now been charged with her murder,” Robin Moira White writes.
“It is not clear whether the fact that she was trans was a factor in the events in Linear Park, Warrington, but shock at her death has rippled through the LGBT+ community.
“I cannot help but feel this kind of tragedy was waiting to happen. Anyone who followed the Conservative leadership contest will have seen the candidates vying with each other to stoke “debate” over trans people’s lives; and such sentiment is something I, as Britain’s only trans discrimination barrister, have to cope with every day.”
Opinion: Brianna Ghey’s death was a tragedy waiting to happen
There is a dangerous precedent to stoking ‘debate’ over trans people’s lives
Brianna’s funeral will be 'pink and colourful to match her personality’
A GoFundMe page set up to raise money for Brianna Ghey’s funeral details how the service will be “pink and colourful” to match the teenager’s personality.
The 16-year-old trans teenager was stabbed to death in park in Warrington on Saturday afternoon.
Police are now investigating whether the attack was a hate crime.
The GoFundMe page has already raised £75,000 to go towards Ms Ghey’s funeral and describes how her funeral will be “pink and colourful to match her personality”.
People attend a vigil in memory of Brianna Ghey in Liverpool
Crowds gathered in Liverpool to attend a vigil for murdered teenager Brianna Ghey.
In photos: Mourners gathered in cities across UK to hold vigil for Brianna Ghey
Members of the public attend a candle-lit vigil at College Green in Bristol city centre and in Liverpool in memory of transgender teenager Brianna Ghey.
Tip of the iceberg: Spate of high-profile violent crimes against women are ‘reminder’ of bigger problem
The recent wave of high-profile crimes against women is a stark reminder of the hidden victims who are subjected to male violence “every day”, campaigners and politicians have warned.
From the crimes committed by former Metropolitan police officer David Carrick to the murder of a headteacher in Epsom, a spate of stories about women being beaten, abused, humiliated, raped or killed - usually at the hands of men - have dominated the news cycle in recent months.
Women’s groups have warned that these stories are just the “tip of the iceberg”. Tory MP Caroline Nokes, who is chair of the women and equalities committee, told The Independent that, while these “horrific” stories are making the headlines, the majority of abuse “goes unreported”.
“It serves as a useful reminder to us that there is a spectrum of offending. The most horrendous stories make the headlines, but that doesn’t mean women aren’t suffering every single day,” she said.
Spate of high-profile violent crimes against women are ‘tip of the iceberg’
‘We must be constantly aware of the need to do more and not just look at legislation to solve problems,’ Caroline Nokes tells The Independent
Brianna Ghey’s family pay tribute to ‘much-loved daughter’ stabbed to death in Cheshire
In case you missed it...
The family of a teenager stabbed to death in a Cheshire park have paid tribute to their “much-loved daughter, granddaughter, and baby sister”.
Brianna Ghey was found by members of the public suffering stab wounds at Linear Park in Culcheth, Warrington at around 3pm on Saturday.
In a statement published on Monday morning, Brianna’s family said her death has left a “massive hole in our family”.
“She was a larger-than-life character who would leave a lasting impression on all that met her. Brianna was beautiful, witty and hilarious. Brianna was strong, fearless and one of a kind.
“The loss of her young life has left a massive hole in our family, and we know that the teachers and her friends who were involved in her life will feel the same.”
Brianna Ghey family pay tribute to ‘much-loved daughter’ stabbed to death in Cheshire
Tribute comes as police question two teenagers arrested on suspicion of murder
Fundraiser for Brianna Ghey’s family raises over £90,000
A fundraising appeal to support the family of a 16 year-old stabbed to death in a park has raised more than£90,000.
A GoFundMe page was set up to help the loved ones of Brianna Ghey with funeral costs after she was tragically killed in Cheshire on Saturday.
The crowdfunding page was set up by Victoria Potter, who described the teenager as “an outgoing, confident girl.”
So far, the appeal has raised ££90,790, far more than the £4,216 goal.
“She brought a lot of laughter to those who knew her,” Ms Potter wrote. “She was looking forward to taking her exams this year and beginning her journey into the adult world.
“We have set up this page to help the family at this truly devastating time. We need your support to help them with funeral costs (we want to make this pink and colourful to match her personality) and ask if you can spare anything no matter how small to try to relieve their stress and allow them to grieve their beautiful daughter.”
We’re closing our coverage of the investigation into Briann Ghey’s killing but keep checking independent.co.uk for the latest updates.
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