Killer of trans teen Brianna Ghey loses bid to appeal against his 20-year sentence
Brianna Ghey killer Eddie Ratcliffe pictured at his police interview after being arrested (Cheshire Constabulary)
Eddie Ratcliffe, one of the teens sentenced for murdering trans schoolgirl Brianna Ghey, has had his appeal against the length of his sentence refused.
Eddie Ratcliffe and Scarlett Jenkinson, both 16, were found guilty of murder in December last year after stabbing trans teenager Brianna Ghey 28 times in a park in Cheshire in February 2023.
The pair’s identities were revealed to the public after the anonymity order which protects under-18s in legal cases was lifted because of the serious nature of their crimes. Jenkinson was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum of 22 years, and Ratcliffe to life with a minimum of 20 years.
Ratcliffe’s legal team had asked the Court of Appeal in London for a reduction on his sentence, citing that his “immaturity” wasn’t take into account.
Richard Littler KC, representing Ratcliffe, argued that his client, who has autism spectrum disorder and selective mutism (an anxiety disorder), was found to exhibit “poor social skills,” as well as “immaturity” and “a lower-than-expected ability to express what he thinks or articulate his ideas.” He contended that these factors made the sentence “far too high.”
Sentence deemed ‘appropriate’
However, Deanna Heer KC for the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) opposed the appeal on grounds that the sentenced was “appropriate” and not “manifestly excessive.” Heer added that Ratcliffe’s attitude towards Ghey as “dehumanising” and said the killing involved “sadistic conduct.”
Three senior judges – Lady Chief Justice Baroness Carr, sitting with Mr Justice Lavender and Mr Justice Murray – dismissed Racliffe’s appeal, concluding that the grounds for it were “not arguable.”
“Eddie demonstrated himself throughout to be just as enthusiastic about what they were going to do as Scarlett,” Heer said.
At the time of Ghey’s murder on 11 February 2023, Racliffe and Jenkinson, were both 15 and had created a “kill list” with four other teenagers named.
The pair had known each other since they were 11 due to attending Culcheth High School in Warrington. They later met Ghey when she was transferred to nearby Birchwood High School.
It was Jenkinson who first befriended Brianna after she became “obsessed” with her. Ratcliffe met her for the first time on the day that the pair murdered her, and persistently used anti-trans language in subsequent text correspondence with Jenkinson, using “it” to describe Brianna and not “she.”
He also wrote that he “just wanted to see what size d**k it has,” but denied in court that he was transphobic.
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