Boy accused of killing Brianna Ghey claims co-defendant killed her with his knife | UK News

A boy accused of stabbing transgender teenager Brianna Ghey said that while his hunting knife was used to kill Brianna, it was his co-accused who carried out the murder.

Brianna, 16, was stabbed with a hunting knife 28 times in her head, neck, chest and back in Linear Park, Culcheth, on February 11.

Two teenagers, identified only as girl X and boy Y, both now aged 16, deny murder and are blaming each other for Brianna’s death.

Today at Manchester Crown court, Boy Y began giving evidence typing on a keyboard, sat behind a desk in a sideroom of the courtroom with his answers spoken by an intermediary sat beside him, and watched by the jury in the courtroom by video link.

Jurors were told boy Y ‘gradually stopped speaking’ to everyone except his mum since his arrest and has been diagnosed with selective mutism, as well as autism.

Boy Y confirmed to his lawyer Richard Littler KC that he had passed eight GCSEs, was self-teaching himself A-levels and wanted to study microbiology at university.

Jurors have heard girl X enjoyed watching internet torture and killing material from the ‘dark web’ and had an interest in serial killers.

Court heard the defendants had a fascination with violence, torture and death and had discussed a ‘kill list’ of other children to harm and a ‘murder plan’ on how to kill Brianna.

Girl X has said the list was a ‘dark fantasy’, while boy Y said he never thought it was serious.

Both claim Brianna was suddenly stabbed by the other, and boy Y said he saw his co-accused doing the stabbing using his own knife, which girl Y had asked him to bring to the park.

Mr Littler said: ‘Was there a plan to stab Brianna?’

Boy Y said: ‘Girl X had a plan to stab Brianna, I did not.’

He said he did not take her plan seriously as she was ‘always talking about murder and nothing happens.’

Boy Y told the court he gave the knife to girl X, who put it in her waistband, before Brianna arrived in Culcheth and the three walked to the park.

He added that in the park, Brianna and girl X had sat on a bench while he was ‘admiring the trees’.

He said he then went to relieve himself behind a nearby tree, before hearing clothes rustling, a thud and a ‘puncturing’ sound.

Mr Littler continued: ‘Did you look to see what the sound might be?’

Boy Y replied: ‘I saw girl X stabbing Brianna. She was on the floor. At least three times, however I wasn’t trying to count.’

Mr Littler continued: ‘How were you feeling at this stage?’

Boy Y replied: ‘I hadn’t registered how I was feeling so I do not know. I stood still.’

He told the court he walked towards Brianna and saw blood, which was ‘everywhere’ on the floor and around the victim.

He said he put his hands on Brianna to see what had happened and got blood on them in the process.

Boy Y said he asked why girl X had stabbed Brianna and she told him: ‘Brianna had tried to get me to break up with my boyfriend and that is unforgivable.’

He said that while leaving the park, girl X handed him back the knife, which was later found by police in his bedroom with his DNA on the handle and Brianna’s blood on the blade.

His clothes and trainers were also blood stained. No blood was found on the clothes of girl Y.

The court heard he carried out an internet search on information for victims and witnesses.

He said: ‘I was searching because I was planning on telling the police, I just didn’t know how.’

He told officers ‘I can explain’ when he was arrested because he was planning on telling them, he said.

The trial continues.

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