'She's lost her child too': Brianna Ghey's mother comes face to face with daughter's killer's mother

Esther Ghey has come face to face with the mother of Scarlett Jenkinson, one of Brianna Ghey's teen killers


The mother of Brianna Ghey has come face to face with the mother of one of her daughter’s killers and said that she feels "connected to her".

Brianna, a 16-year-old trans girl was murdered in a "frenzied and ferocious" attack in Culcheth’s Linear Park in February 2023.

In the last known footage of Brianna, one of her killers, Scarlett Jenkinson, can be seen meeting her off a bus, shortly before killing her.

Esther Ghey has come face to face with Jenkinson's mother. She told ITV news: “It was an emotional meeting with Scarlett’s mother and Uncle. Emma, Scarlett's mum, isn't the person who's committed the crime, and she's been through something so horrific as well.

"She's lost her child, too. And she's not only lost a child, but she's got to go through the rest of her life now knowing what her child's done."

Brianna Ghey was attacked in Linear Park in Culcheth in February 2023. Credit: Family handout/PA

Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe stabbed Brianna 28 times with a hunting knife in the "sustained and violent" assault.

Jenkinson was obsessed with serial killers, torture and the dark web. The mothers of two teenage girls have been brought together by the most horrific of circumstances.

“I don't blame her for what her child's done,” Esther said.

“In a way, I kind of feel connected to her through this. We're both essentially both just mothers who are trying to navigate something that nobody should ever have to go through and something that probably a lot of people would will never will never have to go through.

“I really admire her, like respect the respect that she had for me and her bravery as well for coming to see me in the first place.”

Esther now has a Warrington based Headquarters for her Peace and Mind UK company.

Brianna's killers: Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe Credit: Cheshire Police

“Our two focuses remain around mindfulness in schools, where we will continue to work with Mindfulness in Schools Project (MiSP) to train more teachers across the country, and to continue our campaign for better safeguarding around social media and mobile phones,” she said.

Almost all of the schools in Warrington have now signed up to get a teacher trained. Jenkinson’s mother, a former teacher, supports the campaign.

“I'm hoping that in the future there'll be some way of us working together, even if that's just her coming over to the office and helping me out with a few admin things,” Esther added.

Asked how she shows such compassion and empathy towards the Jenkinson family, she said: “I don't have any resentment or hatred towards Scarlett’s mum because she didn't commit the crime. She didn't harm Brianna, it was her daughter that did it. I don't have hard feelings towards her at all.

"It must be so difficult for them because they have they have lost a child as well, but they've still got to be there. And I don't think that maternal instinct will ever go away. And you've got to you've always got to care for children, protect your child.”

Esther is now campaigning for mindfulness in schools and safety on social media. Credit: Lucy North/PA

Esther hopes the meeting Jenkinson’s mother was the first of many.

“I’m glad I did it. I hope that we can support each other. I think we'll have more meetings and coffees together in the future and I think will maintain that relationship," she said.

In February Esther met with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology Michelle Donelan to discuss her campaigns, having met with Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer earlier in the month.

“Rishi Sunak also empathised. He was there as a parent as well as a prime minister," said Esther.

"I think that we're not going to change the world in one meeting. I need to keep those communications open and keep pushing for what we want.

"We have already been invited back to Westminster for a follow up meeting with Michelle Donelan MP around the Online Safety Bill."


Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know...