Breaking – Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe named as Brianna Ghey’s killers
For the first time, the two teenagers convicted of the murder of 16-year-old Brianna Ghey can be identified as Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe.
At the age of 15, they lured Brianna to Linear Park in Culcheth, near Warrington, where she was brutally stabbed 28 times in her head, neck, and back with a hunting knife on February 11 last year.
Throughout the trial, they were referred to as girl X and boy Y, but a judge lifted the anonymity order at Manchester Crown Court today, where they are set to be sentenced for Brianna’s murder later.
What do we know about the killers?
What do we know about the teen killers Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe, who have been named today. Sky News writes:
‘No red flags with Jenkinson’
Jenkinson, who lived in Culcheth, and Ratcliffe, who lived in Leigh, have been friends since they were 11 and went to Culcheth High School together.
But Jenkinson – whose dad works in the building trade and mum works in a school – was sent to Birchwood Community High School, where Brianna was a student, on a managed transfer after she was caught with cannabis edibles, it is understood.
Their headteacher Emma Mills described her as “quiet, shy and polite” and said “there were no red flags” to indicate she would go on to kill “larger than life” Brianna, from Birchwood, around 10 weeks after she came to the school.
The girls first met in the inclusion room, where Brianna, who was transgender, was taught, and Jenkinson went for a few hours a week because the school couldn’t match her previous timetable.
“We weren’t really aware in terms of a friendship as such but the fact that they knew each other, there must’ve been some sort of friendship there, and it just makes it even more horrific,” said Ms Mills.
“It’s hard to believe that anybody would do this to somebody, never mind a child to another child, and especially somebody that it appears Brianna trusted.”
Ratcliffe trained in kickboxing
Ratcliffe trained in the combat sport and even competed in the World Kickboxing Championships in Jamaica in 2018.
A school newsletter following his return noted: “Although a physical sport, he doesn’t get hurt as training involves only sparring or ‘light hitting’.
“There were fifty competitors in his age group at the competition in Jamaica, and he deserves huge congratulations for coming second, losing in the final to a German competitor. The world championships are in Cork next year, hopefully he will go one better than this time!”
Ratcliffe – whose mother works in the creative industries – had passed eight GCSEs and wanted to study microbiology at university.
