On Thursday, the Court of Appeal heard arguments regarding the sentence of Eddie Ratcliffe, one of the two teenagers convicted of the murder of 16-year-old Brianna Ghey. Ratcliffe, who was sentenced to life with a minimum term of 20 years in February, contends that his sentence should be reduced due to a lack of consideration regarding his maturity by the original presiding judge.

In February last year, Brianna was fatally attacked in Linear Park, Culcheth, near Warrington, where she was stabbed 28 times with a hunting knife. The attack was described by Mrs Justice Yip as “exceptionally brutal.” Co-defendant Scarlett Jenkinson, who received a minimum term of 22 years, also participated in the attack.

At the time of the murder, Ratcliffe was 15 and is now 17. He was found to have expressed transphobic sentiments towards Brianna. During the hearing, Ratcliffe’s lawyers argued that the judge did not sufficiently take into account his age and maturity when determining his sentence. The Crown Prosecution Service is opposing this appeal.

Richard Littler KC, representing Ratcliffe, emphasized the importance of age and maturity in determining culpability, stating, “on any analysis of the applicant’s maturity, he is closer to the starting point of a 14-year-old rather than a 17-year-old boy.”

Littler further noted that Ratcliffe demonstrated “poor social skills” and “immaturity” and suggested that these factors were not fully taken into account. He argued that the original sentence was “far too high” given these considerations.

During the hearing, Ratcliffe appeared via video link wearing a dark suit, and his mother was present in the courtroom. Brianna’s family was also attending remotely.

Evidence presented to jurors revealed that both Ratcliffe and Jenkinson were intelligent, “high-functioning” individuals with a fascination for violence, which culminated in them creating a “kill list” of intended victims.

Jenkinson, who lived near Linear Park and had been previously expelled from her school for distributing cannabis-laced sweets, became fixated on Brianna after transferring to her school in October 2022. The two plotted Brianna’s murder for weeks, as evidenced by a handwritten plan and phone messages recovered by detectives.

On February 11, last year, they lured Brianna to Linear Park, where Ratcliffe used a hunting knife to stab her multiple times. Both were apprehended shortly after the attack, with the weapon and blood-stained clothing found in Ratcliffe’s possession.

Deanna Heer KC, representing the CPS, argued that Ratcliffe’s behavior towards Brianna was dehumanizing, characterizing the murder as involving “sadistic conduct.” She asserted that the original sentencing was appropriate, stating that Ratcliffe's autism diagnosis did not excuse his actions or understanding of the event.

Heer described Ratcliffe as a “highly intelligent young man," highlighting that he was fully aware of his actions alongside Jenkinson. The Hearing before Lady Chief Justice Baroness Carr, Mr Justice Murray, and Mr Justice Lavender is set to conclude later today.