Two 16-year-olds in the United Kingdom, who were convicted of murdering transgender teenager Brianna Ghey last year, were identified and sentenced to life in prison on Friday.
Judge Amanda Yip revealed at Manchester Crown Court that Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe were convicted of murdering Ghey, who was fatally stabbed 28 times in the head, neck and chest in broad daylight, according to NBC News, Independent UK and Guard.
Yip, who handed down the sentence, said Ratcliffe and Jenkinson will serve a minimum prison term of 20 years and 22 years, respectively, before being eligible for parole, NBC News reported. They will serve time in a juvenile prison before being transferred to an adult prison at the age of 18, the media said.
“You will only be released if it is determined in the future that you are no longer a danger,” Yip said, according to NBC News. “You both engaged in a brutal and premeditated murder, which was sadistic in nature, with a secondary motivation of hostility towards Brianna because of her transgender identity.”
Two teenagers convicted of fatally stabbing transgender 16-year-old Brianna Ghey after luring her to a British park
Yip noted in court, according to NBC News, that Jenkinson received a longer sentence because she led the plan and appeared to “enjoy” killing Ghey. Prosecutors said she expressed excitement about the murder, texting Ratcliffe: “I’m excited for Saturday,” to which he replied, “Why?” before he said he forgot about it, Guard reported.
Additional details about Jenkinson also came to light after her name was released, including the fact that she was the one who initiated discussions about Ghey with Ratcliffe, according to Guard.
In one message to Ratcliffe on December 15, 2022, Jenkinson wrote, per Guard: “I’m obsessed with a person I know, but I have no feelings for her… Her name is Brianna… I don’t know how to explain. It also has a d— lol.”
UK transgender teenager, 16, found stabbed to death in park, two 15-year-olds suspected
Jenkinson then befriended Ghey before the attack, although Ghey was not the only one on her “kill list”. According to Guard, also told Ratcliffe in text messages that she wanted to kill two other boys from the school because they had hurt her boyfriend. The pair also discussed killing a boy whom Ratcliffe saw as a threat.
Eventually, Jenkinson chose Ghey as his victim and suggested they go to Linear Park to carry out the killing because it was a secluded spot, according to the outlet. Jenkinson told Ratcliffe in a text message that she wanted to stab Ghey “because it’s fun lol,” according to Guard.
Both pleaded not guilty to murdering Ghey, but were convicted of her murder in December 2023.
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Jenkinson’s family said in a statement to Independent UK: “All our thoughts are with Brianna and her family. The last 12 months have been beyond our worst nightmares as we have come to realize the brutal truth about Scarlett’s actions.”
Ghey’s mother said in a statement to the court, according to NBC News, “I have moments when I feel sorry for them because they destroyed their own lives, but I have to remember that they had no empathy for Brianna when they left her bleeding to death after their premeditated and cruel attack , which wasn’t done because Brianna did anything wrong, but just because one person hated trans people and the other person thought it would be fun.”
Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education