Teenagers found guilty of murdering Brianna Ghey in Warrington park

Rob Smith explains how two teenagers took Brianna Ghey's life.

Two teenagers have been found guilty of murdering schoolgirl Brianna Ghey in a "frenzied and ferocious" attack.

The 16-year-olds, known only as Girl X and Boy Y, lured Brianna to Culcheth Linear Park, in Warrington, before launching the attack on 11 February 2023.

The jury of seven men and five women took four hours and 40 minutes to deliver a unanimous verdict finding both teenagers guilty.

Trial judge Mrs Justice Yip asked for calm in the courtroom as Jurors took their seats. When the verdict was delivered, gasps were heard.

There was no visible reaction from the defendants as they were both found guilty of murder.

Girl X’s parents were seen to be in tears, as was Boy Y’s mum.

After the verdict was delivered, Justice Yip told Girl X and Boy Y: “Given you’ve been found guilty. I will have to sentence you.

"I will have to impose a life sentence. What I have to decide is the minimum amount of time you will be required to serve before you might be considered for release.

"I’m not going to do that this week."

Mrs Justice Yip also thanked jurors for their service on an “extremely difficult and, at times, distressing case”.

She said: “You probably didn’t anticipate sitting on a case as emotionally difficult as this one.”

Brianna, 16, was stabbed 28 times with a hunting knife in a "sustained and violent" assault inflicted with "considerable force" to her head, chest, back and neck - including one wound directly through her heart.

The two teens, who were 15 at the time, denied her murder and blamed each other - but following a four week trial - a jury at Manchester Crown Court unanimously found them guilty of murder.

Neither teen can be named by court order because of their age and are identified only as Girl X, from Warrington, and Boy Y, from Leigh, Greater Manchester.

The court previously heard before the murder both defendants had made multiple attempts to kill Brianna, and on one occasion attempted to give her an overdose.

It also heard messages exchanged between the pair in the days before Brianna's death discussed a hit list of people they wanted to kill, including the schoolgirl.