“I enjoyed planning that murder”: teenagers who stabbed 28 trans girls (16) get life in prison | Abroad

The perpetrators were given a face for the first time almost a year after the facts, after Yip took away their right to anonymity. In practice, Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe (16) will spend 22 and 20 years behind bars respectively before their release is even considered. Neither showed any emotion as the verdict was read.

The perpetrators tried all the time to blame each other. Only today did Jenkinson admit for the first time that she too administered stabbings. According to the judge, she felt “the deep desire to commit murder”. Ratcliffe mainly had problems with Brianna “because she was transgender”. “The defendants knew each other’s motives, so Jenkinson was also partly driven by transphobia,” the judge ruled.

Jenkinson and Ratcliffe tried to lure Brianna to a park two weeks before the murder, with the excuse of using drugs together. The victim refused at the time, but on February 11 she did fall into the trap. Shortly after midday the three met at the agreed location in Linear Park in Culcheth, west of Manchester. Soon after, the duo repeatedly stabbed Brianna’s body until she died.

Ratcliffe was the one who pushed the victim to the ground and administered the first stab wounds. However, as soon as he started to panic, Jenkinson took over. After their atrocity, they did everything they could to cover their tracks. Jenkinson even called Brianna on Snapchat “a fantastic friend” and “one of the nicest people I have ever met”.

The two perpetrators had planned the murder about six months in advance, including via text message. The evidence shows that Jenkinson sent Ratcliffe a photo of a handwritten note detailing how they would kill Brianna. More notes were found in the girl’s bedroom. “Saturday, February 11, 2023. Victim: Brianna Ghey,” read one of the gruesome messages.

The investigation also showed that the teenagers had agreed on a code word to determine when the stabbing could start. They had also compiled a list of “at least four other people they wanted to kill besides Brianna.”

When it came to Brianna, it became clear what horrific thoughts the two teens had in mind. “I want to see if she would scream like a boy or a girl,” Ratcliffe wrote. “I want to stab her at least once, even if she’s dead. Just because it’s fun,” Jenkinson replied.

The judge explained in the packed courtroom what her ruling was based on. “Scarlett, you started the idea of ​​killing people. This is how you wanted to bring your fantasy into reality. Brianna’s injuries make it clear that she was murdered in a very brutal manner. You knew she was a vulnerable person looking for friends. You took advantage of that.”

Yip then also addressed Ratcliffe. “I realize that you were not the driving force behind the murder plan. But to say that you were completely under Scarlett’s control is also more than a bridge too far. You were happy to participate because you feel hostility towards transgender people. You both played a big role in her death, you both wanted her to die.”