The two teenagers who were found guilty of murdering 16-year-old Brianna Ghey have been named and sentenced to life in prison.
Content warning: This story includes topics that could make some readers feel uncomfortable and/or upset.
Judge Mrs Justice Yip, today lifted the anonymity order and named the killers as Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe, both aged 16, because of “a strong public interest in the full and unrestricted reporting of what is plainly an exceptional case”.
Jenkinson has received a minimum sentence of 22 years (minus the 352 days she has spent on remand), while Ratcliffe has received a minimum sentence of 20 years (minus the 352 days he has spent on remand).
The parole board will decide how many years Ratcliffe has to serve before he’s eligible for parole.
The minimum term has been placed, however Yip said: “You will only be released if you can no longer be seen as a danger.”
She continued to tell the teens that if “you remain a danger, you may never be released”.
The pair were previously found guilty of murdering Brianna Ghey on 20 December 2023.
The jury’s deliberations lasted four hours and 40 minutes, with neither teen showing any signs of emotion as the verdicts were read out.
In today’s sentencing of the teens, Brianna’s father Peter Spooner made a devastating victim statement: “My life has been torn apart.
“Every day, something reminds me of Brianna and what she went through on that day.”
Brianna’s mother Esther Ghey also said: “I’ve never felt such grief and I would never wish it on anyone else.
“The good memories hurt so much because she’s not there to share them with me.”
Esther previously set up a fund on 7 September to honour Brianna’s memory, which has now surpassed £50,000 in donations, the desired goal of the fundraiser.
“The traumatic impact that this had on my family was so enormous, that I decided to help make a difference to our society to reduce the risk of this happening again to another young person,” the legacy fund’s description reads.
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