Two teenagers have been given life sentences for the murder of 16-year-old Brianna Ghey in a park in Cheshire in February 2023. Scarlett Jenkinson was ordered to serve a minimum of 22 years, while Eddie Ratcliffe was detained for at least 20 years. The judge, Mrs Justice Yip, described the murder as 'brutal, planned and sadistic'.
Sentencing at Manchester Crown Court, the judge said Jenkinson was motivated by a 'deep desire to kill', while Ratcliffe's motivation was in part hostility to Brianna's transgender identity. Both teenagers, now 16, showed no visible reaction as the sentences were handed down. Brianna suffered 28 stab wounds in what the judge called a 'very sustained and violent assault'.
In a victim impact statement, Brianna's mother Esther Ghey said the killers would always 'pose a danger to society' and that she would never want them to have the opportunity to carry out their 'sadistic fantasies on another child'. Brianna's father Peter Spooner said being the father of a transgender child had been difficult, but he was 'proud to gain another beautiful daughter'.
The trial heard that Jenkinson and Ratcliffe had a fascination with violence, torture and murder. Messages between them showed they encouraged each other to think about how they would carry out a killing. Jenkinson's family issued a statement saying they were 'truly sorry' to Brianna's family and agreed with the sentence.
