Judith Moritz
Inside the courtroom

Richard Pratt KC, Scarlett Jenkinson's defence counsel, says: "We have to acknowledge that the ferocity of the attack is an aggravating feature."

He also notes that from looking at the messages sent by Jenkinson, "there has to be a significant element of premeditation".

Pratt adds that the time and place is an aggravating feature. He also notes that "plainly, Brianna had vulnerabilities".

The lawyer says that there is "very little" in the way of mitigating factors.

He notes Jenkinson's age, adding that she is at the "lower average range" of ability testing.

Pratt says she has also experienced episodes of anxiety and suffered an eating disorder.

Judith Moritz
Inside the courtroom

Richard Pratt KC, counsel for Scarlett Jenkinson, moves his attention to the transphobia issue.

"We’ve analysed the total number of messages," he begins, before being cut off by the judge, who says that there is not enough evidence of Jenkinson being transphobic.

Mrs Justice Yip says the issue is about Jenkinson's connection to Eddie Ratcliffe, who did hold those views.

Pratt says that even during the course of making "very harmful admissions against herself", Jenkinson has maintained that she is not transphobic.

The judge then explains to the court that it’s very difficult when two offenders are convicted of murder by means of joint enterprise, but may have different motivations.

Judith Moritz
Inside the courtroom

Justice Yip asks Pratt if Jenkinson's account now is that Eddie Ratcliffe did the majority of the stabbing, but that "she certainly enjoyed it?"

"Yes," Pratt replies.

He adds there's nothing he can say that "could even put the smallest weight against the very moving testimony we’ve heard, and I wouldn’t attempt to do that".

The judge replies: "I am quite sure that Brianna’s family understand your duty and the job you have to do."

Pratt says: "I’m grateful for that."

Judith Moritz
Inside the courtroom

Proceedings have resumed and we'll now hear the mitigation speeches for Brianna's killers.

Richard Pratt KC, defence counsel for Scarlett Jenkinson, addresses the court first.

He refers to what the prosecution said about Jenkinson confessing that she had killed Brianna to her psychiatrist after she was convicted.

He says there have been several versions of what she has said at different times, and that his instructions today are to say something different to what she said to the psychiatrist.

Justice Yip says the impression she had was that now Jenkinson has been convicted "she wants to paint herself in as bad a light as possible", noting "admiration for notorious killers”.

Judith Moritz
Inside the courtroom

Courtroom number two at Manchester Crown Court - where today's hearing is taking place - is packed.

There are so many family members here - for both offenders and Brianna - that all seats in the public and press areas are being used for them.

Some of the jurors have also returned to court for today’s hearing.

Judith Moritz
Inside the courtroom

After the brief break in court, we'll hear mitigation speeches for the defence.

Scarlett Jenkinson is wearing a black and white spotted wrap dress and her hair has been scraped back into a ponytail.

Eddie Ratcliffe is wearing a black shirt and grey tie. He has shoulder length curly hair and carries a “Take A Break” puzzle book.

While there's a short break in proceedings, here is some more footage released by Cheshire Police. It shows Brianna Ghey meeting her killers on the day of her murder.

Judith Moritz
Inside the courtroom

Deanna Heer KC says it’s accepted that Eddie Ratcliffe suffers from autistic spectrum disorder (ASD).

"His psychiatrist considers it mild," she tells the court.

He’s also been diagnosed with selective mutism, Heer notes.

Clarification 20 February: This post originally described Eddie Ratcliffe’s diagnosis as "autism spectrum personality disorder". This is incorrect and this sentence has been amended to make clear that his diagnosis was autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Judith Moritz
Inside the courtroom

Heer also mentions another kill list that was found after Jenkinson's conviction at the secure unit where she was staying.

The suggestion here is that the names of people caring for Jenkinson at her secure unit were on the kill list.

Judith Moritz
Inside the courtroom

Prosecution counsel Deanna Heer KC says that the psychiatrist who assessed Scarlett Jenkinson after she was convicted last year said he does not believe that she displays traits of autism.

Instead, he suggested Jenkinson had anti-social personality disorders.

“She knew what she was doing was wrong, and that it was very wrong," Heer says.

Judith Moritz
Inside the courtroom

Deanna Heer KC refers the judge to other cases where the mental health of the offenders is relevant.

She continues: "In this case, we take you back to the significant amount of planning that took place", which she adds must be balanced "against any consideration of their mental health when considering if that lowered their degree of culpability”.

Image source, Cheshire Constabulary

Judith Moritz
Inside the courtroom

Mrs Justice Yip remarks that this is a highly unusual case, adding: "There are not a lot of cases that we can look at to compare it to.”

Deanna Heer KC argues the evidence in this case is clear that the offenders intended to kill Brianna.

"So, no reduction would be required to reflect any lesser intention," Heer says.

Judith Moritz
Inside the courtroom

Prosecution counsel Deanna Heer KC and Justice Yip begin discussing precedent cases, and legal authorities which give guidance on cases involving young people.

Heer argues that Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe engaged in a good deal of planning before the murder, which she says has to be taken into account.

She also urges the judge to consider the vulnerability of 16-year-old Brianna herself.

"She had high anxiety. That is an aggravating feature," Heer says.

"There's the ferocity of the attack," she adds, saying that Brianna was "stabbed 28 times with a hunting knife".

"The damage to Brianna’s bones demonstrates she was stabbed with considerable force. That’s also an aggravating factor."

Judith Moritz
Inside the courtroom

Responding to Heer, Mrs Justice Yip says there is evidence of transphobic comments and sadism.

"The question is whether there is enough to elevate it to the highest category of sentence," she adds.

Judith Moritz
Inside the courtroom

Deanna Heer KC, counsel for the prosecution, pushes again on the teenage defendants' hostility to Brianna's transgender identity.

"If classed as such, the court has to be satisfied that the offender demonstrated hostility towards the victim at the time, in such a way that the victim would be aware of that."

Heer says there’s no evidence of that in what was said to Brianna at the time.

But she adds there is evidence capable of demonstrating that this case was motivated, at least in part, by hostility towards her transgender status.

Heer also notes there were other children on the offenders’ kill list who were not transgender. "However there is evidence that they were motivated by it in part," she says.

"We know Eddie had transphobic attitudes. In Scarlett’s case, we say she encouraged Eddie to kill Brianna knowing that his transphobic attitude would make it more likely.

"If the court is satisfied that it played a part in the murder it could be classed as an aggravating feature," Heer argues.

Judith Moritz
Inside the courtroom

Justice Yip says that the fact that someone is aged 15 may mean that there has to be "a downwards adjustment" on the sentence.

She notes that there's now more guidance for judges than there used to be, but "there isn’t a fixed point".

Judith Moritz
Inside the courtroom

Heer continues by saying the starting point for a minimum term for defendants aged 15 to 16 years is either 17 years or 20 years, depending on how the crime is classified.

Justice Yip confirms that when she passes sentence, she will set a minimum term.

Yip also notes that it will be lower than it would have been had these crimes been committed by adults.

She says that the sentencing "is not a straightforward" exercise.

Heer adds: "The two features which may put this into a higher category are the defendants’ hostility towards the victim’s transgender identity and also the possibility that they demonstrated interest in sadistic activity."

Judith Moritz
Inside the courtroom

The hearing has now restarted.

Deanna Heer KC, prosecution counsel, addresses Mrs Justice Yip over the sentencing guidelines for this kind of crime.

Image source, Helen Tipper

While proceedings continue at Manchester Crown Court, Cheshire Police have released footage of the moments Brianna Ghey's killers were arrested.

Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe were 15 years old at the time of their arrests. They'll be sentenced for Brianna's murder in a short while.

Judith Moritz
Inside the courtroom

The court will now take a short break.

The two defendants are staying in the dock during this pause.

Scarlett is clutching a "fidget" toy and drinking water. Eddie is looking at his puzzle book

Relatives of Brianna are wearing pink, in her memory.