Murder accused boy tells court he thought co-defendant 'would blame him' for Brianna Ghey's death

A teenager accused of stabbing Brianna Ghey has told a court he thought his co-accused would blame him for the murder.

Brianna Ghey, 16, was stabbed with a hunting knife 28 times in Culcheth Linear Park near Warrington in February.

Two teenagers - known as Girl X and Boy Y - deny murder and are blaming each other for Brianna’s death.

Boy Y admitted lying to police after his arrest by claiming he had never taken his hunting knife out with him but officers later found it in his bedroom.

It had his DNA on the handle and Brianna’s blood on the blade. Her blood was also found on his clothes and trainers.

Boy Y told Manchester Crown Court that Girl X asked him to bring the knife when they met Brianna and he handed it over to her.

Both claim the other did the stabbing while their back was turned.

Prosecutors allege both of them had a fascination for violence, torture and murder and had planned the killing for weeks.

Deanna Heer KC, prosecuting, asked Boy Y: “Were you worried she might betray you? Were you worried she might tell on you?”

Boy Y said: “Tell on me for doing what?”

Ms Heer said: “For killing Brianna with her.”

Boy Y replied: “But I did not. It was X who did that, so I thought she might blame me, not betray me in the way you said.”

He denies taking his knife to Culcheth to stab Brianna.

Jurors have been told Boy Y has “gradually stopped speaking” to anyone apart from his mother following his arrest, and had been diagnosed with selective mutism, as well as autism spectrum disorder.

He is giving evidence by typing on a keyboard with his answers spoken by an intermediary sat beside him, and watched by the jury in the courtroom by videolink.

Ms Heer asked boy Y: “Having seen Girl X stab Brianna, were you frightened at all?”

Boy Y said: “I do not know what the feeling of fear feels like physically."

Ms Heer asked if the boy thought he was "entitled to hurt" Brianna "because she was transgender".

He denied any animosity towards Brianna because she was transgender.

The trial continues.

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