Warrington, February 2: On Friday, February 2, a judge made the extraordinary decision to lift an order prohibiting the identification of two minors in court after they were found guilty of killing a 16-year-old transgender girl, in a 'frenzied and ferocious' knife assault in the United Kingdom. Due to their young ages, the killing of Brianna Ghey in Warrington, northwest England, in February of last year outraged the nation. The perpetrators were Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe.
In the deadly knife attack, twenty-eight stabs were made to their victim's head, neck, back, and chest. Later, dog walkers found her body in a park. Ratcliffe and Jenkinson were just 15 years old at the time. UK Shocker: Two Teenagers Stab Trans Girl to Death in Manchester; Killers Wanted to Know If Victim Will Scream Like A Girl.
In the UK, under-18 defendants on trial are normally allowed to remain anonymous, albeit in the most extreme circumstances, the media may contest this limitation in the event of a conviction. At the conclusion of their trial, Judge Amanda Yip decided to lift the anonymity restriction, allowing their names to be disclosed at the sentence hearing on Friday.
Following a four-week trial at Manchester Crown Court, Jenkinson and Ratcliffe were found guilty by a jury consisting of seven men and five women after over five hours of deliberation. Speaking to the accused before their release from custody, the judge informed them that she was forced to give them life sentences in jail because of their crimes.
The court heard testimony throughout the trial about Jenkinson and Ratcliffe's discussions in the last days and weeks before Ghey passed away about murdering her. Jurors discovered Throughout the trial, Jenkinson—referred to as "girl X"—was able to view recordings of actual individuals being tortured and killed in "red rooms" on the "dark web" because of an internet browser program she had downloaded. Chennai Road Rage: Two Men High on Weed Kill Transgender, Dump Body in Canal; Accused Arrested.
The court was informed that she had taken an interest in serial murderers, taking notes on their techniques and confessing to having "dark fantasies" about torturing and murdering people.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 02, 2024 07:47 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).