Teen accused of murdering Brianna Ghey denies turning 'dark fantasies' of killing into reality

Brianna Ghey

A girl has denied turning "dark fantasies" of torture and killing into reality with the "frenzied" stabbing of teenager Brianna Ghey, a court has heard.

The 16-year-old, identified only as Girl X, said she was attracted to Brianna and also fantasised about killing her - but had no intention of carrying it out, a jury at Manchester Crown Court heard.

She also denied having to wipe Brianna's blood from her face after the killing.

Brianna, 16, was stabbed with a hunting knife 28 times in her head, neck, chest and back in Linear Park in Culcheth, near Warrington, on the afternoon of 11 February.

Prosecutors allege the teenager was deliberately lured there for a killing planned by Girl X and her co-accused, identified only as Boy Y.

Both Girl X and Boy Y, both aged 15 at the time - now both 16 - deny murder and are blaming each other for Brianna's death.

In the witness box for a second day, Richard Littler KC, defending Boy Y, asked Girl X: "Why would you have a fantasy about murdering your good friend?"

She replied: "I'm not sure. I don't know where it comes from."

Mr Littler continued: "I'm going to suggest, this was not fantasy anymore, this was something you could do. You could stab Brianna?"

"No," she replied.

Girl X told the court the three teenagers had planned to "hang out" in the park and while there she pretended to Brianna to be in contact via Snapchat with a drug dealer to deliver some drugs to them, but he was delayed.

Mr Littler suggested this was to keep Brianna in the park, adding:

"Might it be you were just trying to get ready to stab her, trying to find the courage to do it?"

"No," Girl X replied.

"I'm going to suggest you stabbed Brianna?" Mr Littler said.

"No," Girl X replied.

"Do you remember, when you were walking away from the scene with boy Y, you were wiping blood from your face. Brianna's blood, using your saliva?" Mr Littler asked.

"No," Girl X replied again.

Brianna Ghey Credit: Family handout/Cheshire Police

Being cross-examined by Deanna Heer KC, prosecuting, Girl X was asked what she enjoyed about the idea of killing.

She said: "I'm not exactly sure, I just found the overall thing quite interesting I guess."

Ms Heer said: "Did you like the idea of having power over somebody?"

Girl X said: "Yes."

She said she found Brianna "really interesting" and "quite attractive" and agreed she enjoyed the idea of killing her.

Asked why, she said: "I just randomly get thoughts, even if there was no intent. I don't know where it comes from or why I get them."

She added: "It's normally with people that I don't like but not always, sometimes it can be with people that I do actually like and I'll still fantasise about it."

Ms Heer asked: "Did you find the idea of killing Brianna, who you were attracted to, exciting?”

Ms Heer continued: "You found serial killers interesting. Would you look at facts about serial killers because you were trying to work out how they went about killing people?"

Girl X replied: "That is part of the interest."

Ms Heer compared the similarities to Brianna's stabbing and the "fantasy" plans about killing her, and other children, discussed between X and Y in phone messages; the luring of a victim to a "hidden spot", the distraction, the method of stabbing and the injuries inflicted.

She denied taking a knife herself to meet Brianna.

Ms Heer said: "Is that because you wanted boy Y to stab Brianna and you wanted to watch so you could see the pure horror on her face?"

"No," replied girl X.

The jury heard girl X had saved boy Y's phone number in her phone under the name "Tesco John Wick" and that John Wick was a character from a film about a hitman played by Keanu Reeves.

Ms Heer said: "Did you think of boy Y as your assassin?"

"No," replied girl X.

She admitted getting Brianna to come to the park by lying that they would be taking drugs and getting high.

Ms Heer continued: "Do you think if you had not lied, Brianna, she would still be alive today

"Yes," girl X replied.

The trial continues.