Brianna Ghey murder: Teenagers who stabbed 16-year-old to death will be named

The two teenagers who killed Brianna Ghey are to be publicly named.

Sixteen-year-old Brianna, who was transgender, was stabbed with a hunting knife 28 times in her head, neck, chest and back in Linear Park, Culcheth, a village near Warrington, Cheshire, on the afternoon of February 11. She was found by two dog walkers.

The two teenagers responsible, identified only as girl X and boy Y, are currently protected by anonymity due to their age. Both now aged 16 but 15 at the time, they denied murder and each blamed the other for the killing. Both said their backs were turned when the other one suddenly began stabbing Brianna, jurors at Manchester Crown Court were told.

On Wednesday (December 20), a jury of seven men and five women convicted the two following a four-week trial at Manchester Crown Court after four hours and 40 minutes of deliberations. Trial judge Mrs Justice Yip told the defendants they faced life sentences, with sentencing to take place on February 2, 2024.

The court heard how the girl had developed a friendship with Brianna prior to the attack – and had spent a significant amount of time trying to convince Brianna to meet up with her and the boy in Culcheth, in a 'carefully constructed plan' to kill her.

Cheshire Police said a hand-written note detailing their plan to kill Brianna was found during a search of the girl’s bedroom and the hunting knife was recovered from the boy’s bedroom, with traces of Brianna’s blood.

Lifting anonymity

On Thursday (December 21), Mrs Justice Yip ruled that the order banning identification of the defendants will be lifted when they are sentenced next year. The media will then be able to publicly identify the pair.

Lawyers for the two teenagers opposed the application anonymity, raising concerns over the impact on their families.

Mrs Justice Yip said: “There is a strong public interest in the full and unrestricted reporting of what is plainly an exceptional case.”