A transgender teenager was stabbed to death by two 16-year-olds who wanted to “see whether she was screaming like a boy or a girl”, a court heard.
Brianna Ghey, 16, was allegedly killed by the duo, who had previously compiled a “kill list” of at least five victims and were “engaged in torture and violence”.
None of the defendants, who are currently 16 years old, can be named due to their age. On the first day of their trial they were identified only as girl X, from Warrington, and boy Y, from Leigh, Manchester.
Manchester Crown Court heard on Monday that in the months before the murder, X had developed a “dark obsession” with Brianna because she was “really different”.
Brianna was found with fatal injuries by people walking their dogs in Culcheth Linear Park, near Warrington, Cheshire, shortly after 3pm on February 11 this year.
Jurors were told he was stabbed 28 times in the head, neck, back and chest in a “sustained and violent attack” by two teenagers who discussed in depth how they planned to kill him.
The court heard Brianna, who was born male, was living, dressing and referring to herself as a woman at the time of her death.
The court heard the teenagers discussed whether to “scream like a boy or a girl” in text messages as they planned how to “assassinate” Brianna.
The alleged killers, who were both 15 at the time, had previously tried to lure her to the park weeks ago under the pretext of buying drugs, but Brianna had canceled at the last minute.
X, who was wearing a dress and a gray cardigan, and the boy, who was wearing black trousers and a gray shirt with a tie, were sitting quietly in the defendant’s chair as the trial began.
Opening the prosecution, Deanna Heer KC said text messages between the alleged killers in the days, weeks and months before the murder “showed they were preoccupied with violence, torture and death.”
“[The messages] Record them discussing how they want to kill people they know.
“If this is not an unusual way for two teenagers to talk to each other, the messages show how, over time, they encouraged each other to think about what kind of murder they would carry out and how they planned to kill together, the same way Brianna was actually killed.”
In text messages sent in November 2022, three months before Brianna’s murder, the two discussed the murder of another boy, identified only as M, who was interested in the same girl as Y.
X later claimed he killed two people, but prosecutors said there was no evidence this was true.
On December 15, 2022, he sent a message to Y that read: “I’m obsessed with someone I know but I don’t have feelings for her… Her name is Brianna… I don’t know how to explain it. Plus he has a d— hahaha.”
The court heard Y responded to the message with offensive insults.
X told him that Brianna was “trans” and that she “sounded just like a girl and looked really pretty.”
The court heard Y replied: “I don’t think you’re necessarily in love, but I think you’re more curious and interesting because of the unnatural nature of it.”
X admitted that he finds Brianna “charming,” adding, “She’s really different.”
In January, a month before the murder, the court heard X’s obsession with Brianna “took a dark turn”.
The court heard that on January 28, two weeks before the murder, the teenagers hatched a plan to lure Brianna to Linear Park.
Brianna did not attend the park on that occasion and canceled her plans at the last minute.
Throughout the weekend, the teens continued to discuss how they would kill Brianna.
Judge Mrs Justice Yip told the jury the boy had been diagnosed with autism since detention and suffered “high levels of anxiety”. She said her verbal communication was “very limited.”
The girl was also diagnosed with “features of autism and ADHD” and anxiety, he added.
The trial continues.
16:35 GMT
Court postponed
That’s all the jury will hear today. The opening of the prosecutor’s office will continue on Tuesday morning.
Our live broadcast has now ended.
15:54 GMT
Girl X ‘obsessed with someone called Brianna’, court hears
The court was told that in December last year, girl
After sending him pictures of Brianna, boy Y asked: “Femboy or transvestite?”
Girl X told him Brianna was trans, sounded just like a girl and looked beautiful, the court heard.
Prosecutor Deanna Heer KC said that on January 23, girl
Brianna’s mother, Esther Ghey, remembered her daughter being sick at the time, the court heard.
15:44 GMT
Girl X – ‘I love watching torture videos’
Ms Heer told the court that in early December, girl X sent Y a video which appeared to be an advertisement for an underground site for people who enjoy rape, snuff, torture and murder.
Girl X told boy Y: “I like watching torture videos. The jury heard the truth on the dark web.
The court heard that on January 1, boy Y sent girl X a photo of his hunting knife and said: “I spent my money. “I bought a knife.”
Ms Heer said: “Jurors found this was the knife that would be used to kill Brianna Ghey just six weeks after the photo was sent.”
15:41 GMT
Defendant showed ‘preoccupation with torture and death’
Ms Heer said messages obtained from the phones of girl
He said: “If this isn’t an unusual way for two teenagers to talk to each other, the messages also show how over time they encouraged each other to think about what kind of murder they would carry out, and the messages show how they planned together to kill Brianna in the same way she was actually killed.”
The court heard they discussed the murder of a child named M in November 2022.
In one message, girl
“If we kill boy M, can I keep some things, a few teeth and an eye?”
15:29 GMT
Prosecution opening – Brianna ‘was the victim of sustained and violent attack’
Opening the case at Manchester Crown Court, Deanna Heer KC said Brianna Ghey’s body was found in Linear Park in Culcheth, near Warrington, on February 11 this year. Will Bolton’s report.
The 16-year-old was stabbed 28 times in the head, neck, back and chest and suffered “catastrophic” blood loss.
Ms Heer added: “Many of the stab wounds caused damage to his bones, including his sternum and ribs, and required significant force to inflict.
“There can be no doubt that he was the victim of a sustained and violent attack.”
Ms Heer continued: “Each of the defendants denies being guilty of murder. Each denies participating in his killing. Each blames the other.
“The prosecution’s contention is that both defendants are equally culpable, regardless of who delivered the fatal blow. Acting together, they planned and executed their plan to kill Brianna Ghey.”
15:28 GMT
Who are the defendants?
Both defendants, now 16, appeared at Manchester Crown Court for the start of their trials, which are expected to last three to four weeks. They both deny murder.
Both defendants cannot be named by court order due to their ages and are identified only as girl X, from Warrington, and boy Y, from Leigh, Greater Manchester.
Both are being held in secure youth accommodation.
15:27 GMT
Good afternoon
The Telegraph will provide live updates as two teenagers stand trial accused of murdering transgender teenager Brianna Ghey.
Brianna, 16, was found with fatal injuries on a path at Culcheth Linear Park, near Warrington, Cheshire, shortly after 3pm on Saturday, February 11, earlier this year.
A girl and a boy from the local area at the time, both aged 15, were arrested and charged with the murder of Brianna, a student at Birchwood High School in Warrington.