Brianna Ghey: Two teenagers found guilty of ‘frenzied’ murder of trans teen
The pair were found guilty unanimously and will be sentenced next month
By Dale Fox
Two 16-year-olds have been found guilty of the murder of transgender 16-year-old Brianna Ghey in a Warrington park earlier this year.
After a trial at Manchester Crown Court, the teenagers, a boy and a girl aged 15 at the time, were found guilty by a jury today (20 December) in a unanimous verdict. The pair will be sentenced next month.
The court heared how Brianna was repeatedly stabbed during the daylight attack on 11 February in Warrington’s Culcheth Linear Park. A couple walking a dog disturbed the scene, prompting the attackers to flee before being captured on CCTV appearing “calm” on their way home.
The jury also heard how the girl defendant had an obsession with serial killers and torture videos. Brianna had been friends with her for a few months before becoming a target. The girl and boy defendants exchanged thousands of messages over WhatsApp plotting the killings of Brianna and other children.
In the messages, Brianna is referred to as “prey” and “it”, with one message saying “and I want to see if it will scream like a man or a girl”, the Guardian says.
The jury also saw handwritten notes found in one of the defendant’s bedrooms on how they planned to kill Brianna.
“My heart bleeds every day for Brianna” – Peter Spooner, Brianna’s father
Speaking outside the court, Brianna’s father Peter Spooner told reporters: “My heart bleeds every day for Brianna and this will never go away.
“When she was little I remember the faces she would pull to make me laugh. Her cheeky giggle and funny dances are engraved in my memory.
“I knew she was going to be a star, and the amount of support she received from her followers on TikTok proved this. She shared her TikTok videos with me all the time, and I’m so proud of what she could do.”
“I am glad that they will spend many years in prison and away from society” – Esther Ghey, Brianna’s mother
Brianna’s mother Esther Ghey said, according to BBC News: “Prior to the trial, I had moments where I felt sorry for the defendants because they had ruined their own lives as well as ours.
“But now, knowing the true nature and seeing neither display an ounce of remorse for what they have done to Brianna, I have lost all sympathy that I may have previously had for them. And I am glad that they will spend many years in prison and away from society.”
“Brianna Ghey was subjected to a frenzied and ferocious attack” – CPS prosecutor
Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) deputy chief Crown prosecutor Ursula Doyle said in a statement: “This has been one of the most disturbing cases 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.”
Both attackers blamed each other for the murder. The girl claimed she was not involved, while the boy said he was relieving himself against a tree when the stabbing occurred. However, Brianna’s blood was discovered on the boy’s clothes and knife found in his bedroom.
Unanimous verdict
After 4 hours and 40 minutes of deliberations, the jury unanimously convicted both teenagers in a case that has profoundly impacted the transgender community. Although police affirmed that Brianna was not targeted for being trans, her death carries symbolic weight.
Tributes have poured in for Brianna from Warrington’s Birchwood Community High School, which knew her as “a complete one-off” with an unforgettable personality. Her dreams of fame and large online following meant friends worldwide now mourn her passing.
The attackers will receive mandatory life sentences pending hearings to establish their minimum terms in detention. The case has intensified concern regarding violent crime among youth. Brianna’s death raises uneasy questions around society’s duty to provide early support to vulnerable young people.
“Today serves as a sombre reminder to safeguard trans lives” – Manchester Pride
“As we hear the outcome of today’s verdict in the tragic murder of Brianna Ghey, a brave young trans woman from Cheshire, our hearts go out to Brianna’s family and friends during this incredibly sad time,” a spokesperson from Manchester Pride said in a statement.
“Brianna was just 16 years old and deserved a future where trans individuals live securely, and with respect. But instead, her life was devastatingly cut short.
“Today serves as a sombre reminder to safeguard trans lives – our beautiful community should never be harmed or doubted but protected and loved.”