Teenager who killed schoolgirl Brianna Ghey not seen as a 'serious risk'
ITV Granada Reports correspondent Andy Bonner read through the report
A teenager who murdered schoolgirl Brianna Ghey was not seen as a "serious risk" and safeguarding services did not know about her fascination with violent acts, an independent report has found.
Scarlett Jenkinson carried out a "frenzied and ferocious" attack, alongside friend Eddie Ratcliffe, on 16-year-old Brianna in Culcheth’s Linear Park in February 2023.
The teenager was stabbed 28 times with a hunting knife in the "sustained and violent" assault inflicted with "considerable force" to her head, chest, back and neck.
During her trial, Manchester Crown Court heard Jenkison had befriended Brianna after transferring from Culcheth to Birchwood High School following an incident where pupils were given cannabis-laced sweets.
It also emerged Jenkinson, from the age of 14 had enjoyed watching videos of real killing and torture on the dark web, fantasised about murder and developed an interest in serial killers.
But, a safeguarding report, looking into the contact Jenkinson had with various authorities in Warrington found they had "no reason to be concerned" about their contact with the teenager.
In its conclusions, the report said: "Whilst Scarlett had some vulnerabilities, before the murder she did not stand out from other children.
"Practitioners who knew her before then were not aware of anything that would have made them think that she was a serious risk to others.
"They did not know of Scarlett’s fascination with violent acts.
"They saw no reason to be concerned about any contact with Brianna that they knew about."
Brianna's mum, Esther Ghey, said the review: "clearly found that nobody could have predicted the events that took place".
“We are now focused on looking forward to creating a safer more empathetic and resilient society in Brianna’s legacy," she added.
Jenkinson, who was jailed for a minimum of 22 years in February, had been known by agencies for two and a half years before carrying out the murder.
The report, which looked at whether safeguarding agencies spoke properly to each other when looking after Jenkinson between October 2020 and February 2023, concluded information needed to be better shared.
Jenkinson was seen by a number of them after first being suspected by her school of using cannabis.
She discussed anxiety, low mood and self-harm with child mental health services, but her school was unaware that she had been at the clinical threshold for these.
The report added staff at the school had to find out from Jenkinson she had self-harmed, rather than information being passed on.
She also described hearing voices putting herself down, with a full mental health assessment was offered but she killed Brianna before it could take place.
Jenkinson was moved schools, after spiking another pupil with a cannabis edible, to avoid permanent exclusion.
But, the report found following the incident there was "no reason known" to stop her "mixing freely" with pupils.
It concluded: "Scarlett was known to have some difficulties with peer relationships.
"Giving a cannabis edible to another child without them knowing what it was, was at best unkind, or worse a deliberate attempt to give someone what could be a frightening experience.
"This was not however behaviour at a level which could reasonably be expected to make practitioners suspect that Scarlett would go on to commit murder."
Mental health concerns
The report said that Scarlett Jenkinson was first suspected by her school of using cannabis in October 2020 and was referred to support agencies for her mental and physical health.
In 2022, she was twice referred to mental health services, discussing anxiety, low mood and self-harm, but despite the referrals her school was unaware that she had been at the clinical threshold for her mental health.
Jenkinson moved from Culcheth High School to Birchwood Community High School in November 2022 after she gave a pupil a cannabis sweet, but it was seen there was no reason to stop her mixing freely.
She told staff at her new school that she had self-harmed, it was the first they knew of it and they did not learn of any involvement with mental health services until her mum mentioned it.
A full mental health assessment was offered to Jenkinson, but she killed Brianna before it could take place.
Online Safety
The report said there were several conversations with Scarlett Jenkinson about her online activity, but it was not known she'd accessed the dark web to watch murders.
Her mother told them Jenkinson's low confidence was reinforced by social media.
She agrees with Brianna's Mum, that access to social media should be restricted until at least 16, , as it reinforces children’s insecurities.
The report said there should be a plan to support the most vulnerable children in online safety.
Warrington Safeguarding Children Partnerships said: "While the report acknowledges that nobody could have foreseen the actions of Scarlett, the learning points in the report must, and will be, shared and embraced locally by all partners in Warrington.
"We know that the report will provide little comfort to those who have been affected by this tragic case, but we equally hope that organisations across the country are able to draw on the report to identify any improvements they can make."
The partnership says it will continue to support those who need it.
How could two seemingly ‘innocent’ teenagers became killers, concocting a kill list, luring Brianna into a park and stabbing her, in a "frenzied and ferocious" attack, 28 times?