Vigil Held for Murdered Teen Brianna Ghey as Killers Face Life in Prison

A vigil was held in Bristol to remember the life of Brianna Ghey, a teenager who was brutally murdered by her so-called friends, Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe. The two killers are now facing life sentences as they were found guilty of the horrific crime.

Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe lured Brianna to Linear Park near Warrington on 11 February, where they carried out a vicious attack. Previously known as Girl X and Boy Y during their trial, the court lifted the anonymity order due to the harrowing nature of their crimes.

The trial, which lasted four weeks at Manchester Crown Court, revealed that the pair had a disturbing connection, sharing their “dark fantasies” and plotting murders. They had even created a “kill list” of four other youths before targeting Brianna.

Brianna’s mother, Esther Ghey, spoke at the trial, expressing her shock and pain at discovering that one of the accused was someone she believed to be her daughter’s friend. She said, “Finding out that one of the people charged with her murder was someone we believed to be her friend, someone that we trusted… knowing Brianna had been so lonely. Knowing this person wanted not only to cause her harm, but take the life of my precious child away.”

During the trial, Brianna’s father, Peter Spooner, read his victim impact statement, describing Jenkinson and Ratcliffe as “monsters” and “pure evil”. He stated, “Now my world has been torn apart. Justice may have been done, but no amount of time in prison will be enough for these monsters. I cannot call them children because that makes them sound naive or vulnerable, which they are not – they are pure evil. Brianna was the vulnerable one.”

Jurors learned that Scarlett Jenkinson, at the age of 14, downloaded a TOR internet browser app to watch videos of real people being tortured and murdered in “red rooms” on the dark web. She was deeply interested in serial killers and made notes on their methods. The pair lived in a secret world obsessed with murder and cruelty.

Before Brianna became their target, Scarlett and Eddie had devised a plan to harm four other individuals. However, their focus shifted to Brianna when she befriended Jenkinson. Brianna, who had thousands of followers on TikTok, was a withdrawn and anxious teenager who struggled with depression and rarely left her home.

Jenkinson had shared disturbing text messages with Ratcliffe, expressing her desire to stab Brianna and enjoy the pure horror on her face. The evidence and their attempt to cover up their crime with a fake story were presented in court.

The family of Brianna Ghey arrived at Manchester Crown Court for the sentencing hearing, where they hoped for a lengthy jail term for the two killers. Esther Ghey had previously referred to them as “cowards” and demanded justice for her daughter.