Brianna Ghey’s killers have been given life sentences for her “brutal, planned and sadistic” murder.
Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe murdered the 16-year-old in a park in Cheshire in February 2023.
Mrs Justice Yip said Jenkinson was motivated by a “deep desire to kill” while Ratcliffe’s motivation was in part hostility to Brianna’s transgender identity.
She was given 22 years, while Ratcliffe was detained for 20 years.
Both teenagers, who were 15 at the time of the murder and are now 16, could be seen staring ahead towards the judge and showed no visible reaction as they were sentenced.
In the UK we give life sentences on all murders, but they include minimum terms. After the minimum term a person is eligible for parole (which means they could be released but only if a parole board says it’s safe to do so). If they are released, they’ll be on licence which means they can be returned to prison without trial if it is believed they pose a danger or break other license conditions.
We do have whole life terms but they are reserved for serial killers, acts of terror etc. Anyone on these will never be released (unless on appeal the minimum term is reduced)