WARRINGTON, England – Two teenagers, aged 16, were sentenced to life in prison on Friday for the brutal murder of 16-year-old Brianna Ghey. The judge, Justice Amanda Yip, lifted reporting restrictions on naming the convicted killers, Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe, after they were found guilty of the murder, which shocked the nation. Ghey was lured to a park in Warrington, northwest England, and brutally stabbed 28 times with a hunting knife on February 11, 2023. The two perpetrators were handed life sentences with minimum prison terms of 20 and 22 years.
During the sentencing, Yip highlighted the sadistic and planned nature of the murder, emphasizing their hostility towards Brianna due to her transgender identity. Both were ordered to serve minimum terms before being eligible for parole, with Jenkinson facing a longer prison term as the ringleader. The teenagers, previously known as “Girl X” and “Boy Y,” were not named during the trial but were identified in court after being found guilty.
In a statement to the court, Ghey’s father, Peter Spooner, expressed the pain of losing his child and stated that no amount of time in prison would suffice for the loss caused by the murderers. The trial revealed that the convicted teenagers were intelligent and had a fascination with violence, torture, and serial killers, with a discovery of a handwritten plan and phone messages detailing their attack. Crown prosecutor Nicola Wyn Williams expressed hope that the sentencing would bring closure for the family.
Brianna’s mother, Esther Ghey, emphasized the lack of empathy shown by the perpetrators and stated that they should never be released from prison. The trial brought to light the deadly influence the teenagers had on each other, turning dark fantasies into a grim reality. The sentencing concluded a tragic case that gripped the community and highlighted the impact of transphobia and senseless violence.