In a recent ruling, the Court of Appeal has dismissed the appeal of Eddie Ratcliffe, one of two teenagers convicted of murdering 16-year-old Brianna Ghey. The ruling comes after Brianna was tragically stabbed 28 times with a hunting knife during an attack by Ratcliffe and co-defendant Scarlett Jenkinson in Linear Park, Culcheth, near Warrington, in February 2022.

Ratcliffe, who was 15 years old at the time of the crime, received a life sentence with a minimum term of 20 years in February 2023. The sentencing judge described the murder as “exceptionally brutal” and noted the defendant's expressions of transphobia towards Brianna.

At the appeal hearing in London, Ratcliffe’s lawyers argued that the sentencing judge, Mrs. Justice Yip, did not adequately consider his immaturity, contending that the minimum term was “far too high”. Ratcliffe, now 17 and diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and selective mutism, attended the hearing via video link.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) opposed Ratcliffe's appeal, asserting that the sentence was appropriate and not “manifestly excessive”.

On Thursday, three senior judges dismissed the appeal, stating that the arguments for a reduced sentence were based on a “false premise”. In their summary, Lady Chief Justice Baroness Carr emphasized that the original minimum term of 20 years was appropriately set, and the aggravating factors were rightly considered by the sentencing judge.

Baroness Carr declared, “The sentence imposed by the judge on the applicant was neither manifestly excessive, nor wrong in principle.”

During the hearing, Ratcliffe displayed no emotion as the appeal was rejected, alongside his mother who was present. Meanwhile, Brianna's family attended remotely.

Richard Littler KC, representing Ratcliffe, argued that the original sentence was “wrongly and artificially elevated” and did not take sufficient account of Ratcliffe’s age and maturity, suggesting he was more akin to a 14-year-old in terms of maturity.

Littler highlighted that Ratcliffe exhibited “poor social skills” and had difficulties articulating his thoughts, adding, “These factors were acknowledged but not fully accounted for in the sentencing process.”

Defending the original sentence, Deanna Heer KC for the CPS described Ratcliffe’s actions towards Brianna as “dehumanising” and characterized the crime as involving “sadistic conduct.” She reiterated that the sentence was appropriate based on the evidence, clarifying that Ratcliffe’s autism did not hinder his understanding of the act.

Heer concluded that Ratcliffe’s enthusiasm for the planned act was evident during the incident, confirming that he understood the ramifications of his actions.