Teenagers found GUILTY of Brianna Ghey murder in Warrington
The defendants, known as ‘Girl X’ and ‘Boy Y’, stabbed the transgender girl 28 times back in February
Two teenagers have been found guilty of murdering 16-year-old Brianna Ghey in Culcheth Linear Park in Warrington.
On the 11th February 2023, the transgender girl was stabbed 28 times with a hunting knife, with injuries to her head, neck, chest and back.
She'd been lured there by her attackers, who were both 15 at the time, after accepting an invitation to hang out with them.
Due to their ages, the defendants have been known as 'Girl X' and 'Boy Y' during the four week trial at Manchester Crown Court, where they both denied murder and tried to blame each other for Brianna's death.
It took the jury almost 5 hours to reach their verdicts.
Brianna Ghey defendants had a fascination for violence, torture and murder
During the trial, the court heard how both defendants had a fascination for violence, torture and murder and had planned the killing for weeks.
They had a so-called 'kill list' which featured Brianna's name, along with a number of other children which they allegedly wanted to harm.
Jurors heard that girl X enjoyed watching internet torture and killing material from the "dark web" and had an interest in serial killers.
She had also written a "murder plan" laying out the details of the attack that the pair would carry out against Brianna. Hundreds of phone messages exchanged between the pair also revealed an intense interest in death and killing.
Police say there was no clear motive for the pair choosing to kill Brianna, and simply describe her as "a 16-year-old girl who was brutally murdered for no reason."
Brianna's killers are "two warped individuals"
Detective Chief Superintendent Mike Evans is head of crime at Cheshire Police: "These are two warped individuals who have done something heinous. This does not happen every day on the streets of Cheshire, or in the UK.
"We know that they had a plan to kill several individuals. Brianna was just one of the people on that list and unfortunately they had access to her; which led to her death.
"You look at the level of planning and the nature of the messages shared between the defendants and it is quite horrific.
"We still don’t know why they did it, other than that they have a real thirst for murder. Brianna had certainly never done anything to either of them that would justify any kind of assault, let alone a brutal murder. They have lived out what they would describe as a fantasy."
"They were absolutely intent on killing someone"
Speaking about the 'murder plan' found in Girl X's bedroom after her arrest, DCS Evans said: "It detailed the date (of the attack) and Brianna's details, and it was a full hand written plan. We also saw the text messages they sent to each other post the murder of Brianna, where they were talking about what they would tell the police. They thought police wouldn't be good enough to catch them.
"These two were absolutely intent on killing someone. Had we not caught them, would they have gone on to kill further? Quite possibly. I think their arrogance and naivety has been their downfall.
"They have dragged Brianna's family through a jury trial and made them re-live every single piece of what they did to Brianna. At no point has either of them stood up and accepted any responsibility for what they did, and that is one of the coldest features of this."
Brianna Ghey's murder was a 'frenzied and ferocious attack in broad daylight"
Ursula Doyle is the Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).
She said: "This has been one of the most disturbing cases that we have ever dealt with. The planning, the violence and the age of the killers is beyond belief.
"Brianna Ghey was subjected to a frenzied and ferocious attack and was stabbed 28 times in broad daylight in a public park.
"Girl X and Boy Y appear to have been a deadly influence on each other and turned what may have started out as dark fantasies about murder, into a reality.
"The pages and pages of Whatsapp messages between the two, planning and plotting to kill people, talking of murder, torture and cruelty were very difficult to read.
"The messages provided a terrifying insight into the warped fantasies of the two defendants, however they also provided us with the detailed planning of the attack, and then the attempts to cover it up.
"The Crown Prosecution Service authorised a charge of murder on a joint enterprise basis; they were both equally responsible in planning the killing and carrying it out. In the trial the defendants tried to blame each other to absolve themselves. The jury has clearly seen through their explanations for the lies that they were.
"This has been a difficult prosecution, not least because two very young people were on trial for the most serious offence known to the criminal law. It has involved using a number of measures to ensure that the defendants could participate fully in the trial and enable them to give their evidence.
"The Crown Prosecution Service would like to thank the family of Brianna Ghey for the courage and dignity that they have shown throughout the proceedings. We hope that today's verdict brings some solace, and our thoughts and sympathies remain with them."
Girl X and Boy Y will be sentenced at a later date.