Criminology In The News: The Murder of Brianna Ghey

On Friday 2nd February 2024, Eddie Ratcliffe and Scarlett Jenkinson were sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Brianna Ghey in February 2023. Ratcliffe and Jenkinson, who were both sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder, were referred to throughout the court case as Girl X and Boy Y, but reporting restrictions were lifted once they had been sentenced.

Ratcliffe and Jenkinson murdered Brianna Ghey in what was described by prosecutors as a ‘frenzied attack’ in Linear Park near Warrington, stabbing Ghey 28 times in her head, back and neck with a hunting knife. Ghey had become friends with Jenkinson through school, where both were taught in isolation. Ghey was a transgender student who was described as being ‘larger than life’ whilst Jenkinson was perceived as being quiet, with their headteacher suggesting that there were no ‘red flags’ that would alert her to Jenkinson’s behaviour.

The Court heard that Ratcliffe and Jenkinson compiled a ‘kill list’ of students that they knew, including Brianna Ghey and that they had exchanged messages describing what they would do to those on their kill list. Both Jenkinson and Ratcliffe were found to have traits associated with ADHD and Autism and Ratcliffe had developed selective mutism following his arrest.

The case brings about many elements that students will have studied during their work in Unit 1 and Unit 2. There are some selected questions below, but the series of articles is great for looking at concepts throughout the course.

Read more about the case from these articles from Sky News and answer the questions that follow:

https://news.sky.com/story/sca...

https://news.sky.com/story/bri...

https://news.sky.com/story/bri...

1. How would you categorise the crime committed according to the different categories in AC 1.1 of Unit 1?

2. Why might the media have been restricted from reporting the names of Girl X and Boy Y throughout the trial? Why were their names revealed?

3. Why might media reports have focused on the viewing habits and hobbies of the two accused?

4. What might biological theories suggest about the reasons for the murder?

5. Why might the media have reported on the backgrounds of the parents of both killers?

6. Why might the judge have given a mandatory time limit of 20 and 22 years before the two killers could be considered for release? (Consider that a life sentence is mandatory for murder)

7. Jenkinson saved Ratclife’s telephone number under the name ‘Tesco John Wick’. What might learning theories of criminality suggest about the reasons for Ratcliffe’s actions?

8. Why might discussion of the killer’s social media accounts be used by the media? What impacts might this have had on the reporting restrictions in this case?