Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe, both 16, are sentenced to life in prison with minimum terms of 22 and 20 years for the murder of Brianna Ghey
The pair killed 16-year-old Brianna with a hunting knife in broad daylight in a park near Warrington in February 2023
Handing down the sentence, judge Mrs Justice Yip calls the murder "brutal and sadistic"
The pair were identified earlier after the judge lifted a legal order preventing them from being named
In a statement read in court, Brianna's mother Esther says she has "never felt such grief" and her daughter "must have been so scared"
Her father Peter Spooner says: "Every day, something reminds me of Brianna and what she went through on that day"
Lawyers for the two teenagers had opposed the media application to lift the restrictions, citing the possible ramifications on their welfare
Judith Moritz
Inside the courtroom
Judge Amanda Yip remarks now on the "very emotional statements" we've been hearing, adding: "I can feel the emotion in the courtroom."
Judith Moritz
Inside the courtroom
Powell's statement continues.
He says while Brianna had a large online following, "in reality she was lonely and vulnerable".
"Eddie and Scarlett knew this and they preyed on her," he adds.
"During their trial we observed a lack of remorse and had to listen to lie after lie. It is clear from the trial that self-preservation remains their number one priority," Powell's statement reads.
"I do not believe that society is a better place with either Scarlett and Eddie in it."
Judith Moritz
Inside the courtroom
Deanna Heer KC, prosecution counsel, now reads a statement from Wesley Powell, Brianna's stepfather of nine years.
"Our memories will always be divided into two parts - before that day, and after that day," he says.
"Brianna’s death wasn't peaceful. It was brutal and savage. She was laid face down in the dirt, terrified and alone. It breaks my heart and fills me with sorrow."
Powell continues by saying he tries to picture Brianna laying on her bed "chatting to friends, watching TV".
"You could always hear laughter coming from her room," he recalls.
"On what would have been her 17th birthday, instead of celebrating, we sat in contemplation. We had our first Christmas without her.
"In February it'll be the anniversary of her death. Then the anniversary of her funeral. And so the cycle will continue."
We're now hearing a statement from Brianna's sister, Alisha Ghey, which is also being read by prosecutor Deanna Heer KC.
"The night we were told that we’d lost Brianna has overpowered the memories I had of her," Alisha says in her statement.
"Brianna was always at home and I didn’t know that she’d left that day - I find being in my own home uncomfortable and lonely."
Her statement continues: "I now feel anxious, and struggle to trust new people that I meet because it was Brianna’s friend who she trusted who ended her life.
"No-one can ever make me feel better. The only thing that would is hearing her voice and laughter, and I must carry that pain for the rest of my life."
Judith Moritz
Inside the courtroom
Esther Ghey's statement, being read out on her behalf, continues by mentioning Brianna had "wanted to go to college to study beauty therapy".
She also recalls picking out "which pink car she’d like for her 18th birthday".
The statement goes on: "The good memories hurt so much because she’s not there to share them with me.
"Instead, to add to that, I have memories of identifying her body, memories of her funeral, memories of the trial - where the two people who murdered her cowardly tried to blame each other.
She continues: "It’s so quiet without Brianna. Her sister Alisha can’t bear it. She’s lost confidence and has quit college, and I worry that the trauma that she’s experienced could impact the rest of her life.
"I believe that Scarlett and Eddie will always pose a danger to society. I would never want them to have the opportunity to carry out their sadistic fantasies on another child. They have also ruined their own lives."
Judith Moritz
Inside the courtroom
"I’ve never felt such grief and I would never wish it on anyone else," Brianna's mother continues in her statement.
"Our home was so quiet with Brianna gone. I’d put my ear against my bedroom wall to try and hear her chatting on FaceTime with friends in her room next door, but there was only silence.
"Brianna wasn't a fighter - she must have been so scared," she says.
Esther Ghey adds: "No parent should have to bury their child."
Judith Moritz
Inside the courtroom
We're now hearing the victim impact statement of Brianna's mother, Esther, being read on her behalf by prosecutor Deanna Heer KC.
"As Brianna’s mother, I was constantly worried she was putting herself in risky situations, although in this case no one could have predicted it was dangerous," the statement reads.
Esther recalls finding out that one of the people charged with her murder "was someone we thought was her friend… not knowing that this person had been planning [to cause her harm]".
"I tried to protect her, and I failed by allowing her to meet Scarlett on that afternoon."
She continues: "I was pleased to get a text from Brianna saying she was going to meet her friend that afternoon - it was a big breakthrough for her - she was anxious.
"I thought she’s having a great time hanging out in the fresh air with her friends."
Judith Moritz
Inside the courtroom
Peter Spooner, Brianna's father, continues: "The impact of Brianna’s death has been on our whole family."
He tells the court he has been signed off from work and that he will "never come to terms with the loss of my daughter".
"Every day, something reminds me of Brianna and what she went through on that day," he says.
"I wish I wasn’t standing here reading this statement today, but if I wasn’t it would have been another father standing here... and I wouldn’t wish this on anyone."
Image source, Cheshire PoliceBrianna is pictured in an undated photo released by Cheshire Police
Judith Moritz
Inside the courtroom
Peter Spooner, Brianna’s father, enters the witness box and begins reading his victim impact statement to the court.
"As Brianna’s father, it’s impossible to put into words the murder of my child.
"I am accused of dead-naming her [calling someone who is transgender by their birth name] but most of my memories are with my son Brett - he was my baby, my only son, and his decision to transition was such a brave thing to do.
"I gained a daughter," Spooner continues. "We were forming a new relationship and these two murderers stole it from us both.
"She’s been deprived of the life she wanted to live," he adds. "My life has been torn apart.
"No amount of time in prison will be enough for these monsters."
Judith Moritz
Inside the courtroom
The court hears Jenkinson told her psychiatrist that Eddie Ratcliffe didn’t like Brianna because she was transgender - but that her motivation was because she considered Brianna a friend, and that meant she would leave her.
Jenkinson said she killed her so she would always be with her.
She also said she had given Brianna tablets previously.
Judith Moritz
Inside the courtroom
Dianna Heer KC, counsel for the prosecution, is now speaking.
She says that when Scarlett Jenkinson was assessed by a psychiatrist after she had been convicted she told him she had been the one who stabbed Brianna.
Jenkinson told her psychiatrist that she grabbed the knife from Eddie Ratcliffe and stabbed Brianna repeatedly.
She said that she was “satisfied and excited by what she was doing”.
Jenkinson was asked how many times she had stabbed Brianna, and replied: "A lot."
Cheshire Police has just released this image of Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe, which we can now show you after the judge in the case lifted the anonymity order protecting their identities.
Image source, Cheshire PoliceJust to remind you that back in December, at the end of the trial, Mrs Justice Yip said she would lift the anonymity order that prevented the media from naming the killers due to "a strong public interest in the full and unrestricted reporting of what is plainly an exceptional case".
"The shock generated by Brianna's murder and the circumstances of it has spread well beyond the local community, across the nation and indeed internationally," she said at the time.
Justice Yip accepted naming the two teenagers would "cause distress to their families", but said the purpose of the anonymity order was not to protect family members of those convicted.
The judge in the case, Mrs Justice Yip, has just lifted the anonymity order that was preventing the media from reporting the names of Brianna’s killers.
This means we can now name the killers as Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe, both 16.
Judith Moritz
Inside the courtroom
The judge, Mrs Justice Amanda Yip, is now in court.
There are many family members present - for each of the two teenage defendants and for Brianna.
Brianna Ghey's father, Peter Spooner, has also now arrived at court.
Brianna's mother, Esther, was pictured arriving a short while earlier.
Image source, ReutersJudith Moritz
Inside the courtroom
Girl X and Boy Y are in court.
They are sitting with their support workers.
Boy Y is holding a “Take a Break” puzzle book with crosswords in it.
The hearing has not yet started.
Dominic Casciani
Home and legal correspondent
Most children in England and Wales who are accused of a crime are dealt with in the youth court where their anonymity is guaranteed.
Society has long believed they need to be given a chance to learn from their mistakes. It’s different if they commit a serious act of violence.
That has to be dealt with by a crown court - and it’s up to the trial judge to decide whether to grant them anonymity.
Judges will often ban identifying a child defendant during the trial - particularly if they have concerns they are unwell or may not be able to give their best evidence amid a glare of publicity.
But many judges then regularly name children after they’re convicted of serious violence, particularly those linked to knife and gang crime. They do so because they say it’s in the interests of justice and society for every one to understand why the crime happened.
So how come you rarely hear about these cases?
Quite simply most cases are awful local crimes that do not lead to national news coverage - and there are too few local court and crime reporters these days going to court to find out what’s going on.
Image source, PA MediaBrianna's mother, Esther, has been pictured this morning outside Manchester Crown Court
Brianna Ghey's mother, Esther, has been pictured this morning outside Manchester Crown Court where, as we've been reporting, her daughter's killers are due to be sentenced and named later.
We're expecting the hearing to begin at 10:30.
Image source, PA MediaWarning: Some readers might find the following report distressing
During the trial in December, Girl X and Boy Y both denied murder, blaming each other for the killing.
Boy Y claimed Brianna and Girl X sat on a bench while he was “admiring the trees”.
He said he went to relieve himself behind a tree, before he heard clothes rustling, a thud and a "puncturing" sound, and turned to see Girl X stabbing Brianna.
Girl X also denied murder, telling the court that the three students had stopped near a bench, but said she had become bored and walked away.
She claimed she heard a noise - like someone screaming - and turned to see Boy Y stabbing Brianna.
"On the facts of the case and the evidence before you, they can't both be telling the truth," trial judge Mrs Justice Yip told the jury, before directing it to approach the evidence "calmly and dispassionately".
On 20 December, Boy Y and Girl X were both found guilty of murder after four hours and 40 minutes of deliberations.