Teen killers who murdered Brianna Ghey named for first time as they're handed life sentences

The "sadistic" teenagers who carried out the "exceptionally brutal" killing of Brianna Ghey have been sentenced to life in prison

The teenagers who murdered schoolgirl Brianna Ghey have been named for the first time as they were handed life sentences.

Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe will have to serve a minimum of 22 and 20 years respectively for the "frenzied and ferocious" attack on the 16-year-old in Culcheth’s Linear Park in February 2023.

They stabbed her 28 times with a hunting knife in the "sustained and violent" assault inflicted with "considerable force" to her head, chest, back and neck.

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.

They were known only as Girl X and Boy Y after reporting restrictions were put in place because of their age, but have now been named after Mrs Justice Yip ruled there was "a strong public interest".

As the pair appeared to be sentenced, the court was also told Jenkinson had, for the first time, admitted stabbing Brianna Ghey herself.

Deanna Heer KC, prosecuting, told Manchester Crown Court the 16-year-old had been seen by a psychiatrist after she was convicted of murder last December and made “admissions”.

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Ms Heer said: “She said effectively, she said that at the time of the killing she had in fact administered stab wounds herself.

“She had snatched the knife from Eddie’s hand and stabbed Brianna repeatedly.

“She said Eddie had thrown Brianna to the floor and stabbed her three or four times then he panicked and said he did not want to kill her, so she carried on and stabbed her a number of times.

“When asked how many, she answered, ‘A lot.’ She was satisfied and excited by what she was doing.”

• The moment Scarlett Jenkinson is arrested by Cheshire Police

Deanna Heer KC said Jenkinson claimed Eddie Ratcliffe did not like Brianna because she is trans but her motivation was “quite different.”

Ms Heer continued: “Her motivation for doing so was anticipating Brianna was going to leave her and wanted to kill her so she would always be with her.”

Jenkinson said she also intended to take a part of Brianna’s body, “as a token, part of her flesh”.

She also admitted an earlier incident when Brianna became ill came about in an attempt by her to poison her victim with pills.

Ms Heer said, in a further account of events to a probation officer, Jenkinson had said she and Ratcliffe deliberately lured Brianna to the park.

Ms Heer continued: “On this occasion she said it was she who first inflicted stab wounds then passed it to Eddie who forced the victim to the floor, stabbing her about three times, at that point she took the knife and delivered the majority of stab wounds.”

• Footage shows Eddie Ratcliffe getting on a bus after the attack

During the trial the court 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.

A jury of seven men and five women took four hours and 40 minutes to deliver the unanimous verdict at the conclusion of the trial in December 2023.

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