Brianna Ghey inquest to look into killer's school transfer

The school transfer of a girl who went on to murder her classmate Brianna Ghey will be scrutinised at the inquest into her death, a court has heard.

Brianna, who was transgender, was stabbed to death by Scarlett Jenkinson and her friend Eddie Ratcliffe, both 15 at the time, in February 2023.

Jenkinson was moved to Brianna's school in Warrington, Cheshire, after drugging a pupil with a cannabis-laced sweet.

A coroner at a pre-inquest hearing said her placement would be investigated.

Both Jenkinson and Ratcliffe were handed minimum sentences of 22 and 20 years respectively earlier this year, with trial judge Mrs Justice Yip ruling the "frenzied" and "brutal" killing had elements of sadism, with a secondary motive being the victim's trans identity.

Brianna, who was 16, had been a pupil at Warrington's Birchwood High School, where she was befriended by Jenkinson.

From age 14, Jenkinson had enjoyed watching videos of real killing and torture on the dark web, fantasised about murder and developed an interest in serial killers, her trial heard.

Following her "managed transfer" from Culcheth High School, where Ratcliffe was a pupil, within weeks Jenkinson became obsessed by Brianna and began plotting her murder with Ratcliffe.

During a hearing at Warrington Coroner's Court, Jacqueline Devonish, senior coroner for Cheshire, outlined the scope of the inquest later for this year.

Lawyers representing both schools and children's services at Warrington Borough Council attended, alongside Brianna's mother, Esther Ghey.

'Placed at risk'

Ms Devonish said the inquest would look into "matters around safeguarding" and "how it is Brianna was brought into contact with Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe".

"In my view, that's the starting point, and we know that the schools will have information around that, and that's where we are going with this investigation," she said.

The coroner said she wold examine whether it could "reasonably have been foreseen that Brianna might have been placed at risk in the inclusion room with Scarlett Jenkinson".

"Whether Birchwood High School was appropriately placed to manage Brianna and Scarlett Jenkinson together in light of their histories and safeguarding considerations."

Ms Devonish said the inquest will examine the "appropriateness or thoroughness" of the decision around the school transfer, along with Brianna's behaviour and mental health.

The coroner also said she will also examine whether Brianna was appropriately supported by relevant agencies involved with supporting people with issues of gender, eating disorders and mental health.

Agencies named at the hearing included the Gender GP counselling service and the Gender Identity Development Service.

A further pre-inquest review will be held on August 9 before a full three-day inquest, scheduled to begin on 23 October.

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