Brianna Ghey Killer Loses Bid To Appeal 20-Year Sentence
Image: Source: Star Observer archives
One of the killers of trans teenager Brianna Ghey, Eddie Ratcliffe, has had an appeal against the length of his 20-year sentence shot down in the UK.
Content warning: This story contains details about the murder of a trans woman, which may be distressing to some readers. For 24-hour crisis support and suicide prevention call Lifeline on 13 11 14. For Australia-wide LGBTQI+ peer support, call QLife on 1800 184 527 or webchat.
Ratcliffe, along with Scarlett Jenkinson, murdered Ghey at the beginning of 2023 by luring her into Culceth Linear Park in Warrington, England. After a short trial, they were both convicted of the murder of Ghey and received life imprisonment sentences by Mrs Justice Amanda Yip with a minimum of 22 years for Jenkinson and 20 years for Ratcliffe.
A key element of the conviction, as reported by the Cheshire police department, was the pre-meditated and “deep desire” to kill Ghey, which involved stabbing her 28 times. Both Jenkinson and Ratcliffe were found to have had a fascination with violence and murder, as well as sharing transphobic sentiment with one another.
Briana Ghey killer’s appeal considered “not arguable”
As reported by the BBC, Ratcliffe’s lawyer Richard Littler KC filed for an appeal to Ratcliffe’s 20-year sentence and suggested that the trial judge failed to take the teen’s “immaturity” into account for his crime. He also cited Ratcliffe’s autism spectrum disorder and selective mutism diagnoses, which meant he had “a lower-than-expected ability to express what he thinks or articulate his ideas.”
Despite claims by Littler that the sentence was far too heavy, three senior judges of the Crown Prosecution Service rejected as they considered the proposed grounds of the appeal as not arguable. Deanna Heer KC stated: “[Ratcliffe] demonstrated himself throughout to be just as enthusiastic about what they were going to do as [Jenkinson].”
The killing of Brianna Ghey in February 2023 shocked the world with its senseless brutality. An inquest into the murder in October 2024 found that the actions of Ratcliffe and Jenkinson could not have been foreseen, despite their known violent thoughts. However, Brianna’s mother Esther said that her daughter had been “immersed in darkness” in her later years and that she “just knew something like this was going to happen.”
