'They weren't listening to a word judge said': Anger from Brianna's best friend as killers sentenced
The best friend of murdered schoolgirl Brianna Ghey says she hopes her killers are never released from prison.
Amelia, who is also transgender, met Brianna online and the pair became best friends.
She came all the way from Scotland to see Brianna's killers sentenced, but said she was appalled and angered that Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe, couldn't be bothered to listen to the judge's comments.
"It made me quite angry because of how they had no remorse whatsoever," she said.
"Scarlett was sat there playing with toys and Eddie was on a wordsearch book - they weren't paying attention to a single word the judge was saying.
"It made me quite annoyed and angry because the judge is telling them they'll be behind bars for life and they have no remorse whatsoever - they were just sat there drawing, doodling, they didn't care.
"They are pure evil."
Amelia said she and Brianna were in constant contact online before her death and were planning a future together.
She said she now feels 'numb' towards her friend's killers.
"I don't feel anything towards them except I want them gone forever.
"I don't want them to ever be released.
"I don't have hate towards them but I just don't want them on earth.
"I don't want them to be free to walk the street because if you're capable to plan out how to murder and hurt someone, you shouldn't be allowed to have a life."
Manchester Crown Court heard that Scarlett Jenkinson had "enjoyed" the killing, the excitement causing her to stab Brianna more times and she found the thought of violence "sexually arousing," with a desire to kill again.
Her accomplice Eddie Ratcliffe had also expressed transphobia about his victim, Mrs Justice Yip ruled.
"It is mind-boggling to even comprehend how another human-being, another teenager, my age, is capable of that", said Amelia.
"I've got quite bad trust issues now.
"Brianna would never have expected for them to do anything like that whatsoever, she thought Scarlett was someone she could trust.
"She let her boundaries down with Scarlett and it is really hurtful to know Scarlett was just sat there playing a mind game, preparing to brutally murder her."
Jenkinson must serve a minimum of 22 years before parole and Ratcliffe 20 years.
The judge said the "exceptionally brutal" murder had elements of both sadismby Jenkinson and transphobic hate on the part of Ratcliffe.
"Eddie had such hatred for no reason," Amelia told ITV Granada Reports.
"He never met Brianna before but the second he was told she was transgender he immediately was planning to murder her - if that is all it takes to plan to murder a person that shows the sort of person he is and that shows he needs to be behind bars along with Scarlett."
"I will remember Brianna as one of my bestest friends I ever had.
"The bond me and Brianna had - no other person will come close to the bond we had because of our similarities and our personalities, we really did connect.
"I know for a fact I will never have that again.
"She was an icon, she literally was - there's no-one else like Brianna and she had so much potential in life and they've taken that away from her."
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