The father of one of Brianna Ghey’s killers has been sentenced to 15 months after pleading guilty to indecent exposure and taking an indecent image of a child.
Kyle Ratcliffe, 36, from Wigan, admitted two offences of exposure involving two 16-year-old girls at a bus stop, which were committed in November last year, shortly before his son went on trial.
He also pleaded guilty to taking an indecent photo of a prepubescent girl by covertly recording a video of her without consent in a changing room in August 2023.
His son Eddie Ratcliffe was convicted alongside Scarlett Jenkinson of murdering 16-year-old Brianna in a park in Culcheth, Cheshire, in February 2023. Eddie was jailed for life with a minimum term of 20 years in February.
The two incidents of exposure involving 16-year-olds were described to the court as identical. At approximately 7.45am on 22 and 23 November 2023, Ratcliffe drove his Maserati past two teenagers waiting for the bus to go to college. As one or both of them looked at Ratcliffe, they saw that he was masturbating, the court heard.
Each incident lasted a few seconds, but on the second occasion, one of the victims took a photo on their phone of Ratcliffe’s registration plate and searched the internet to find out if it was a crime to masturbate in public.
Michelle Brown, prosecuting, said the 16-year-olds felt shocked and violated by the incidents.
The court also heard that on 22 August 2023 Ratcliffe went to the changing rooms of Wild Shore Delamere waterpark in Cheshire and covertly recorded a female child, believed to be aged about 12 to 15, changing out of her swimming costume.
Ratcliffe has had previous exposure convictions, dating back to 2008 and 2012.
Judge Potter said: “The offences within this indictment, coupled with your previous convictions, make it quite clear that you have a sexual attraction towards female children and teenagers whom you objectify for the purposes of your own sexual gratification.
Mark Friend, defending Ratcliffe, said the past year had not been easy for the defendant, most notably due to the impact of Eddie Ratcliffe’s case.
In response, the judge said: “As you make clear in your letter, the existence of those proceedings can provide no excuse whatsoever to these three counts. You made a deliberate decision to behave in this risk-taking way, and I do not view therefore the existence of those proceedings in any way to be strong personal mitigation.”
Ratcliffe was given a 15-month immediate sentence, half of which will be in custody. He was granted a slightly reduced sentence due to his guilty pleas.
