Brianna Ghey news - live: Scarlett Jenkinson’s family breaks silence as teen jailed with Eddie Ratcliffe

Two teenagers jailed for life for transphobic and sadistic killing of 16-year-old

Brianna Ghey's killers sentenced to 22 and 20 years in prison for teen's murder

The family of teenager killer Scarlett Jenkinson has broken their silence as they said they have been living out their “worst nightmares”.

Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe stabbed 16-year-old Brianna Ghey 28 times with a hunting knife in a horrific attack on 11 February last year after luring her to Linear Park near Warrington.

The judge at Manchester Crown Court said the “exceptionally brutal” murder had elements of sadism by Jenkinson and transphobic hate by Ratcliffe.

Saying their lives were “in turmoil”, Jenkinson’s family thanked Brianna‘s mother Esther Ghey for her “incredible selflessness and empathy towards our family”.

In a statement to the Warrington Guardian, Scarlett Jenkinson’s family said: “All of our thoughts are for Brianna and her family.

“The last 12 months have been beyond our worst nightmares as we have come to realise the brutal truth of Scarlett’s actions.”

The four-week trial heard the pair, who were 15, had a fascination with violence, torture and serial killers, with Jenkinson wanting to keep a part of Brianna’s flesh as a “token”.

Jenkinson was jailed for a minimum term of 22 years, and Ratcliffe 20.

Key Points

• Heartbroken family of 'pure evil’ killer Scarlett Jenkinson breaks silence
• Pair jailed for life for murder
• Killer’s family thank victim’s mother for empathy and compassion
• New school was not told Jenkinson had already drugged another pupil
• Teenage girl enjoyed killing Brianna and wanted to kill again, court told

[3 February 2024 13:19 · Maryam Zakir-Hussain]

[3 February 2024 14:00 · Maryam Zakir-Hussain]

Brianna Ghey’s killer’s new school was not told she had drugged another pupil

The school to which one of Brianna Ghey’s killers was moved before murdering the 16-year-old was not told their new pupil had already drugged a younger girl with a cannabis sweet.

Teachers were told only that Scarlett Jenkinson had been caught with cannabis edibles and was being given a “second chance”, an investigation has found.

The 13-year-old victim at Culcheth High School in Warrington, Cheshire, had fallen ill after Jenkinson gave her the sweet, and police were called in – but the victim’s parents did not want any further action.

[3 February 2024 14:29 · Maryam Zakir-Hussain]

[3 February 2024 15:15 · Maryam Zakir-Hussain]

Brianna Ghey: Why teenagers who killed schoolgirl can be named

Scarlett Jenkinson, Brianna’s school friend, was identified only as girl X during their trial last December at Manchester Crown Court. Ratcliffe, from Leigh, had been identified only as boy Y.

Both were named ahead of their sentencing on Friday.

Senior judge Mrs Justice Yip, had previously indicated she would lift a court order banning the press from identifying them.

The move bucks the norm of children appearing in youth or crown courts in England and Wales - whether as a victim, witness or defendant - generally not being identified.

Mrs Justice Yip ruled that the media could name the killers when they are sentenced after representations on behalf of the news outlets made by the Press Association and ITN.

[3 February 2024 16:00 · Maryam Zakir-Hussain]

The Satanist and ‘Tesco John Wick’: The young killers from normal lives who murdered Brianna Ghey

A self-described Satanist and a boy she named after a violent hitman both grew up living normal lives but went on to develop a “thirst for killing” and brutally murder their supposed friend.

Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe, both now aged 16, have finally been unmasked as the callous youths who stabbed 16-year-old Brianna Ghey to death after a judge ordered the lifting of anonymity orders protecting their identities due to their young ages.

A harrowing four-week trial at the same court heard the “warped” pair, whom Brianna believed to be her friends, had a fascination for violence, torture and murder – and shared a “thirst for killing” that grew in extremity and realness over time.

[3 February 2024 17:00 · Maryam Zakir-Hussain]

[3 February 2024 18:00 · Maryam Zakir-Hussain]

Kill lists, Sweeney Todd and the dark web: How torture-obsessed teenagers plotted Brianna Ghey’s murder

A teenage girl with a fascination for serial killers watched her favourite film Sweeney Todd as she and a teenage boy put the finishing touches to a meticulous plan for a brutal murder.

The following day, Scarlett Jenkinson lured transgender teenager Brianna Ghey to a park in Culcheth, near Warrington, having already tried and failed to kill the 16-year-old with an overdose of ibuprofen. In the frenzied 11 February attack, she and Eddie Ratcliffe stabbed Brianna 28 times with a hunting knife, the first victim from their “kill list” of at least five child targets.

The young killers were convicted of Brianna’s murder in December following a harrowing four-week trial at Manchester Crown Court. Now, the pair have been jailed for life as they were unmasked by a judge at the same court on Friday. Jenkinson must serve a minimum of 22 years before parole and Ratcliffe 20 years.

[3 February 2024 19:00 · Maryam Zakir-Hussain]

[3 February 2024 20:00 · Maryam Zakir-Hussain]

[3 February 2024 21:00 · Maryam Zakir-Hussain]

Brianna Ghey’s father says ‘evil monsters’ who killed daughter should be forgotten

Brianna Ghey’s father said the “evil monsters” who killed his teenage daughter should be forgotten.

Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe, both 16, brutally murdered 16-year-old Brianna in a frenzied killing on February 11 last year. The transgender teenager was stabbed 28 times with a hunting knife after being lured to Linear Park, Culcheth, a village near Warrington, Cheshire, by the callous youths she believed to be her friends.

Peter Spooner, disagreed with the judge’s decision to identify the teenage killers ahead of their sentencing on Friday as he fears their names will be “tied to Brianna’s all the time”.