Teenagers sentenced to life for premediated murder of transgender Brianna Ghey
The chilling murder, which caused shockwaves across the United Kingdom, occurred in February near Warrington in north-west England. Then, 15-year-olds Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe ensnared Brianna Ghey, who they had previously known, into a park where they stabbed her 28 times in the head, neck, chest, and back using a hunting knife.
This was a premeditated murder. The judge stressed upon pronouncing the verdict, that both adolescents were gripped by a fascination for violence, torture, and cruelty, and had shared detailed plans on how they intended to carry out the crime in the days leading up to the incident.
Judge however, highlighted that Jenkinson was primarily motivated by a "deep-seated desire to kill", whereas in Ratcliffe's instance, a portion of his motive lay in his aversion towards Ghey's transgender identity.
No mercy for the 16-year-olds in court
Both were given life sentences, with Jenkinson being eligible to apply for parole after a period of 22 years at the earliest and Ratcliffe after 20 years. The slightly heavier penalty for Jenkinson stems from the fact that she was the mastermind behind the plot.
The judge warned that there was no guarantee that they will ever be set free - their potential release lies in the hands of the parole board, who will have to determine whether they pose any threat to society following the specified period.
The court also approved the release of personal details and images of both convicts, a move only undertaken under exceptional circumstances when it comes to minors in the UK. Both showed no emotion as the sentence was read out.
