Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe named as Brianna Ghey killers

The “frenzied” killing of the Birchwood schoolgirl in Culcheth Linear Park was planned and executed by Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe.

Both defendants, now aged 16 but 15 at the time of the murder, had seen their identities protected by a court order due to their age.

They were both convicted by unanimous verdict of murder by a jury following a four-week trial at Manchester Crown Court in December.

Trial judge Justice Amanda Yip approved a press application to lift this order during their sentencing hearing today, Friday.

Brianna died aged 16 after being stabbed with a hunting knife 28 times in her head, neck, chest and back in Culcheth Linear Park on the afternoon of February 11 last year.

The verdicts came after a four-week trial, and after four hours and 40 minutes of deliberations by a jury of seven men and five women.

Both defendants denied murdering the transgender Birchwood schoolgirl and blamed each other for Brianna’s death.

Jenkinson was referred to only as girl X, from Warrington, and Ratcliffe as boy Y, from Leigh, throughout the trial.

Both said their backs were turned when the other defendant began stabbing Brianna in a “frenzied” fashion.

The trial heard both defendants had a fascination for violence, torture and murder and had planned the killing for weeks.

Jurors heard Jenkinson, from Culcheth, was “obsessed” with Brianna, enjoyed watching internet torture and killing material from the “dark web” and had an interest in serial killers.

The jury was also shown a murder plan on how to kill Brianna, along with phone messages Jenkinson and Ratcliffe exchanged, including a kill list of other children they planned to harm.

Jenkinson told the trial said she enjoyed “dark fantasies” but had no intention to ever turn them into reality, while Ratcliffe said he went along with them and did not take them seriously.

Both said they never expected the other to act on them, however a jury convicted them of murder.