Esther Ghey has said that when the police came to her house to break the news her daughter Brianna had died she “just knew something like this was going to happen because it was such a dark time for everyone”.
In a statement read on her behalf to the inquest into Brianna’s death, Ms Ghey also said: “I can’t believe the change that Brianna went through. When she was little, she was such a bundle of joy, but in her teenage years she was immersed in darkness. It sometimes feels like I’m grieving two different people.”
The trans teenager was stabbed to death in a “frenzied” and “sadistic” attack planned by schoolmate Scarlett Jenkinson and friend Eddie Ratcliffe, who both lured her to Linear Park, Culcheth, a village near Warrington, Cheshire, on 11 February last year.
The 16-year-old pair, who were aged only 15 at the time, were jailed for life for murder in February this year, with Jenkinson given a minimum term of 22 years and Ratcliffe 20 years.
The three-day inquest, which is set to run until Friday at Cheshire Coroner’s Court in Warrington, will examine whether Jenkinson should have been placed at Birchwood High School with vulnerable Brianna following the young killer’s “managed transfer” from Culcheth High School after a cannabis-related incident.
Key Points
- ‘I knew something like this was going to happen as it was such a dark time,’ Esther Ghey tells of moment police came to house
- Killer’s mother describes him as ‘caring’ and ‘good child with good morals’ as she speaks for first time
- Inquest to examine why Brianna’s killer Scarlett Jenkinson was put in same school
- Inquest into death of murdered trans teenager Brianna Ghey opens today
Inquest into death of murdered trans teenager Brianna Ghey opens today
09:42 , Tara CobhamThe inquest into the death of murdered trans teenager Brianna Ghey is opening today and set to probe the transfer of one of her killers to her school.
The 16-year-old was stabbed to death in a “frenzied” and “sadistic” knife attack planned by schoolmate Scarlett Jenkinson and friend Eddie Ratcliffe in February 2023.
The inquest will examine whether Jenkinson should have been placed at Birchwood High School with vulnerable Brianna following the young killer’s “managed transfer” from Culcheth High School after a cannabis related incident.
The three-day probe into Brianna’s death will run from Wednesday until Friday at Cheshire Coroner’s Court in Warrington.
Brianna’s father Peter Spooner seen arriving at Cheshire Coroner's Court
09:57 , Tara Cobham
Inquest to examine why Brianna’s killer Scarlett Jenkinson was put in same school
10:25 , Tara Cobham“Sadistic” killer Scarlett Jenkinson’s placement in a classroom alongside vulnerable trans teenager Brianna Ghey will be investigated at the inquest into her death, a court previously heard.
Brianna had been a pupil at Birchwood High School, Warrington, where she was befriended by Jenkinson after the killer had transferred from Culcheth High School following an incident where pupils were given cannabis-laced sweets.
Following her “managed transfer” from Culcheth, where Ratcliffe was a pupil, within weeks Jenkinson became obsessed by Brianna and began plotting her murder with Ratcliffe.
From age 14, Jenkinson had enjoyed watching videos of real killing and torture on the dark web, fantasised about murder and developed an interest in serial killers, her murder trial heard.
At a pre-inquest hearing at Warrington Coroner’s Court in April, Jacqueline Devonish, senior coroner for Cheshire, outlined the scope of the inquest, which is opening today.
Ms Devonish said: “I think essentially, matters around safeguarding that we are going to be concerned with.
“How it is Brianna was brought into contact with Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe. In my view, that’s the starting point, and we know that the schools will have information around that, and that’s where we are going with this investigation.
“Whether it could reasonably have been foreseen that Brianna might have been placed at risk in the inclusion room with Scarlett Jenkinson.
“Whether Birchwood High School was appropriately placed to manage Brianna and Scarlett Jenkinson together in light of their histories and safeguarding considerations.”
Ms Devonish said the inquest will examine the “appropriateness or thoroughness” of the decision around the school transfer, along with Brianna’s behaviour and mental health.
The coroner also said she will also examine whether Brianna was appropriately supported by relevant agencies involved with supporting people with issues of gender, eating disorders and mental health. Agencies named at the hearing included the Gender GP counselling service and the Gender Identity Development Service (GIDS).
Young killers Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe were jailed and named earlier this year
11:04 , Tara CobhamYoung killers Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe were jailed for life in February for murdering trans teenager Brianna Ghey.
Jenkinson and Ratcliffe, both 16, were handed minimum terms of 22 and 20 years before parole, respectively.
The pair carried out the “disturbing” plan to murder 16-year-old Brianna in a “frenzied and ferocious” knife attack the previous February.
The judge said the murder was “brutal” and “sadistic” and that a secondary motive was Brianna’s trans identity.
Both aged 15 at the time, they were identified for the first time as they were sentenced after a senior judge lifted a ban on the press naming them.
Inquest into Brianna Ghey’s death gets underway
11:14 , Tara CobhamThe inquest into Brianna Ghey’s death has got underway at Cheshire Coroner’s Court this morning.
The three-day probe into the 16-year-old’s death will run from Wednesday until Friday in front of Senior Coroner Jacqueline Devonish at the court in Warrington.
Brianna’s father Peter Spooner is among those in attendance.
Interested persons include Brianna’s school and school that has been attended by both killers
11:26 , Tara CobhamInterested persons named in the inquest into Brianna Ghey’s death include her school and a school that has been attended by both of her killers, Cheshire’s Senior Coroner Jacqueline Devonish has told the court.
As the probe into the teenager’s death got underway this morning, Cheshire Coroner’s Court heard an introduction from a representative of Birchwood High School, which was the teenager’s school, and was where Scarlett Jenkinson transferred to in the months before murdering Brianna.
The court also heard an introduction from a representative of Culcheth High School, which was Jenkinson’s previous school, and was also attended by her accomplice Eddie Ratcliffe.
A representative of the children services department of Warrrington Council also introduced themselves to the court.
Inquest to consider whether there were any ‘missed opportunities'
11:35 , Tara CobhamThe inquest into Brianna Ghey’s death is set to consider whether there were any “missed opportunities”.
Cheshire’s Senior Coroner Jacqueline Devonish told the court the probe will also, more widely, look at any measures to prevent future deaths.
Senior coroner outlines key issues inquest into Brianna’s death will look at
12:00 , Tara CobhamThe senior coroner has outlined the key issues that the inquest into Brianna’s death will look at.
Cheshire’s Senior Coroner Jacqueline Devonish listed to told the court the following issues that will be consider:
- The teenager’s previous medical history
- Whether Brianna’s behaviour and mental health had been appropriately supported by relevant agencies, including her eating disorder, gender transition, and CAMS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services)
- Brianna’s engagement with Birchwood High School, looking specifically at behaviour and attendance
- The “appropriateness and thoroughness” of decision-making relating to Scarlett Jenkinson’s transfer from Culcheth High School to Birchwood High School
- Whether it could be “reasonably foreseen” that Brianna may have been placed at risk by being in the inclusion room. The coroner added: “So we’ll look at the risk assessment of the managed move of Scarlett to Birchwood High School.”
- Whether Birchwood High School was appropriately placed to mange Brianna and Scarlett together in light of their histories and safeguarding measures
- Safeguarding and education oversight by Wigan Council and Warrington Council
‘I knew something like this was going to happen as it was such a dark time,’ Esther Ghey tells of moment police came to house
12:07 , Tara CobhamEsther Ghey has said that when the police came to her house to tell her her daughter Brianna had died that she “just knew something like this was going to happen because it was such a dark time for everyone”.
In a statement read to the court by the senior coroner, Ms Ghey said: “When the police came to the house, I just knew something like this was going to happen because it was such a dark time for everyone.
“I can’t believe the change that Brianna went through. When she was little, she was such a bundle of joy, but in her teenage years she was immersed in darkness. It sometimes feels like I’m grieving two different people.”
Brianna Ghey showed ‘very early signs of hyperactivity’, mother says
12:17 , Tara CobhamBrianna Ghey showed “very early signs of hyperactivity”, her mother has said.
In a statement read to the court by the senior coroner, Esther Ghey said: “Brianna met all her milestones, but in hindsight, there were very eary signs of hyperactivity, even at nursery.”
However, Ms Ghey described her daughter as “mischievous, funny and outgoing” in her younger years and having many friends. “All my friends were charmed by her, and she always seemed drawn to women,” she said. “She was so loving and always wanting to give out hugs.”
Brianna’s “high energy levels” continued into her later school years, Ms Ghey told the court, adding that she was always being called into school.
Court hears of Brianna’s close relationship with sister who was first person she came out to
12:22 , Tara CobhamEsther Ghey has spoken about Brianna’s close relationship with her sister who was the first person she told she was transgender.
In a statement read to the court by the senior coroner, Esther Ghey said: “Brianna first came out to her sister … they would bicker like any other siblings, but they would tell each other everything.”
She added that it was during 2020 that she “started dressing as a female and going by the name of Brianna”.
Stating that she would not be naming Brianna’s sister, Ms Ghey also told of how she would be the first person to stand up for Brianna when they were both younger.
Ms Ghey said: “The sisters argued a lot, but despite this they played together nicely and loved each other very much. If anyone was mean to Brianna, her sister would be the first to stand up to them.”
Esther Ghey details Brianna’s mental health struggles
13:11 , Tara CobhamBrianna Ghey’s mother has detailed to the inquest her daughter’s mental health struggles.
In a statement read to the court by the senior coroner, Esther Ghey said that when Brianna was around 14 years old “many mental health and behaviour needs all seemed to come on around the same time”.
Ms Ghey said Brianna was initially referred for counselling and to CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) after isolating herself in her room without washing or brushing her teeth for weeks. The teenager told CAMHS she was restricting her eating, Ms Ghey added.
At age 15, Brianna was diagnosed with ADHD and autism, Cheshire Coroner’s Court heard. She was given ADHD medication, however she did not take it because it suppresses appetite.
A referral to her GP followed, before Brianna ended up in hopsital over her low weight, Ms Ghey detailed to the court.
In hospital, a nurse noticed the teenager was self-harming, said Ms Ghey.
It was after she came out as transgender in 2020 that Brianna attended TAGS (Teenager and Gender Sexuality Youth Support), before beginning to take hormone medication in 2022.
“I was worried and held out for as long as possible as I was really worried about the long term implications of taking puberty blockers, but it got to the stage where she said she’d kill herself if she couldn’t take the meds,” said Ms Ghey.
Lockdown then marked a time when Brianna’s “mental health deteriorated massively”, the court heard. The teenager was spending a lot of her time in her room and online. “I feel the online world she was living in was very toxic,” said Ms Ghey.
Upon Brianna’s return to school following Covid, Ms Ghey said she refused to attend certain lessons due to the extent of her anxiety.
Esther Ghey reveals details of developing friendship between Brianna and Jenkinson
13:23 , Tara CobhamEsther Ghey has revealed the details of her daughter Brianna’s friendship with Scarlett Jenkinson developed.
In a statement read to Cheshire Coroner’s Court on her behalf, Ms Ghey said the pair had been friends for around a year before Jenkinson and her accomplice Eddie Ratcliffe murdered Brianna.
Ms Ghey said the teenagers met in a special education unit at Birchwood Community High School, with the mother saying she was “happy” when her daughter started making friends there.
Brianna was on a reduced school schedule and Ms Ghey assumed Jenkinson was too because the pair would go to Asda together after school.
The mother said she would receive photos of Jenkinson dying Brianna’s hair as well as of the pair in Macdonald’s together.
However, Ms Ghey said she never saw Jenkinson’s face nor met her.
“But I was happy Brianna was going out and socialising – it was nice to see,” said Ms Ghey.
Teenager’s father describes young Brianna as ‘funny’ before becoming more ‘quiet'
13:27 , Tara CobhamBrianna Ghey’s father has described her as “funny” when she was younger.
Giving evidence at Cheshire Coroner’s Court on Wednesday, Peter Spooner said he did not spend as much time with Brianna in her later years, although noted that she was more “quiet and shy” in her earlier teenage years.
Brianna Ghey’s father tells inquest he has specific questions he wants answers to
13:32 , Tara CobhamBrianna Ghey’s father has told the inquest into his daughter’s death that he was specific questions he wants answers to.
Giving evidence at Cheshire Coroner’s Court on Wednesday, Peter Spooner said he wants to know if information was passed between Birchwood High School and Culcheth High School about Scarlett Jenkinson.
He also wants to find out why Brianna was in the special education unit at Birchwood Community High School with Scarlett Jenkinson. When asked if it was because this was how Jenkinson was able to befriend Brianna, Mr Spooner agreed.
Brianna’s friend reveals teenager’s reason for meeting with Jenkinson on day of murder
13:39 , Tara CobhamBrianna Ghey’s friend has revealed the reason she believes the teenager met with Scarlett Jenkinson on the day of the murder.
Giving evidence to Cheshire Coroner’s Court, Daisy Birkin, 17, who said the pair met when they were in Year 7, detailed Snapchat messages she exchanged with Brianna on the day she was killed by Jenkinson.
Ms Birkin said Brianna had told her “they were going to go and do drugs”, adding that this was not the first time the two had met up to take drugs together.
Ms Birkin said Brianna told her they were also going to meet with Jenkinson’s drug dealer, which Ms Birkin said she assumed was Eddie Ratcliffe, Brianna’s second killer.
Ms Birkin added that Brianna told her she “going to meet up with my man” afterwards.
“I was aware that Brianna was speaking with older men online and on occasions meeting up with older men,” she told the court.
Killer’s mother describes him as ‘caring’ and ‘good child with good morals’ as she speaks for first time
13:53 , Tara CobhamThe mother of one of Brianna Ghey’s young killers has described him as “very caring” and “a good child with good morals” as her words on his brutal murder were heard publicly for the first time.
In a statement read to Brianna Ghey’s inquest on her behalf, Alice Hemmings, the mother of Eddie Ratcliffe, described her son – who has been jailed for life for murder – as sensitive, private and a “very caring person”, and said: “Eddie is a good child with good morals, with a loving caring family behind him.”
She described the young killer as someone who “clearly knows right from wrong, isn’t a risk taker – he is cautious”.
The court also heard Ratcliffe showed autistic traits, although had never been tested or diagnosed, with his mother described him as highly intelligent, able to retain a lot of detail, and in need of routine, with a like for “things in certain places”.
Describing him as “quite socially awkward”, Ms Hemmings said Ratcliffe tended to respond with one-word answers and found it difficult to show emotions.
However, when discussing a topic of interest, she said he was “polite and articulate”.
Otherwise, he would often speak in “more of a mumble or whistle than words”, said Ms Hemmings, adding that she often had to ask her son to repeat himself.
‘Academic’ killer invited to Cambridge college event based on predicted grades, mother tells court
14:01 , Tara Cobham“Academic” Eddie Ratcliffe was invited to attend an event at a Cambridge college based on his predicted grades, an inquest into the death of Brianna Ghey, whom he murdered, has heard.
In a statement read to the court on her behalf, Ratcliffe’s mother Alice Hemmings said her son was especially talented in science, with an ambition to study microbiology.
She added that he was an avid reader and played many games on his phone.
She also described him as being “well-behaved in school” and requiring few interventions.
Killer’s mother details day of murder with Ratcliffe appearing ‘normal'
14:35 , Tara CobhamEddie Ratcliffe’s mother has detailed the day her experience with her son on the day he brutally murdered Brianna Ghey.
Alice Hemmings said she drove Ratcliffe to Culcheth at around 12.30pm on 11 February 2023.
In a statement read to court on her behalf, Ms Hemmings said: “During the journey to Culcheth, he didn’t elaborate on his plans, and I actually joked with him about his one word answers. He didn’t appear any different.”
When she spoke with her son on the phone at around 5pm, shortly after he and Scarlett Jenkinson had stabbed Brianna to death, she said: “He sounded happy and said he wanted to stay out a bit longer. I could hear a lot of background noise, but he didn’t tell me anything more at that point.”
Ms Hemmings said she arrived home at around 8.50pm and that Ratcliffe came down to greet her immediately. “I asked him if he’d had a good time and he said ‘yes’,” she told the court, adding that he told her he had been playing the game Pokemon and bought a Tesco meal deal. “He appeared to be his normal self,” she said.
Ratcliffe went to bed at around 10pm that night, the court heard.
Eddie Ratcliffe’s mother tells of moment son was arrested for Brianna murder at home
14:40 , Tara CobhamEddie Ratcliffe’s mother has told of the moment her son was arrested for Brianna Ghey’s murder at their family home.
Speaking of Sunday 12 February 2023, the day after Ratcliffe and Scarlett Jenkinson stabbed the teenager to death, Alice Hemmings said she was not aware of her son leaving the house in the morning while she was out.
In a statement read to Cheshire Coroner’s Court on her behalf, Ms Hemmings said she had heard about the fatal attack and asked her three children if they knew Brianna. “All said no,” she told the court.
“During the evening, Eddie was chatting and appearing normal,” she said.
“We were cooking when police officers stormed into our house and arrested Eddie, who was upstairs, and took him out of the house in his t-shirt and shorts.”
She added that she was aware her son had a crossbow and a knife that he had got on holiday in Bulgaria.
