Accused murderers 'knew what they were doing and intend to kill' to teenager
The two teens who are accused of killing Brianna Ghey knew what they were doing and there can be no doubt they both participated in the act, a jury has been told.
The 16-year-old was stabbed 28 times in a Cheshire park in February. The defendants, identified only as Girl X and Boy Y, who were 15 at the time, deny murder. Deanna Heer, KC, prosecuting, said: "These two defendants were in it together throughout. Neither one of them took the lead, neither played along. By the time they met in Culcheth [park] on February 11, both knew what they were going to do. Not in fantasy but in real life."
In her closing speech this afternoon, Ms Heer said "for all their careful planning" they had not thought about what they might say to the police. She said she had "no doubt" that "they thought they were too clever to be caught." She said the prosecution accepted some of the messages X and Y exchanged were initially just fantasies about killing people. But she said that as time went on the messages became more sinister and added: "They were leading each other along a path that became more extreme and more real as time goes on."
Brianna, who was transgender, was found face down in mud, having been stabbed to the head, neck, back and chest, jurors have been told. Jurors have been told Boy Y has "gradually stopped speaking" to anyone apart from his mother following his arrest and had been diagnosed with selective mutism, as well as an autism spectrum disorder. Boy Y confirmed to his barrister 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. Both 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, jurors heard.
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Today, Ms Heer told the court that the pair killed Brianna "just the way they said they would." She said in her closing statement: “For all their careful planning, it doesn’t seem to be the case that either of them contemplated the possibility that they might be caught. They hadn’t thought about what they were going to say to the police. No doubt, they thought they were too clever to be caught. As the penny drops, Girl X takes steps to make sure she and Boy Y are singing from the same hymn sheet. Protecting him, protecting herself, still acting together.
“Boy Y on the other hands appears to be having doubts. He didn’t respond to her message telling him to stick to the story or answer her phone calls. He didn’t want to make her paranoid in case she blamed him.
“Is the truth in fact that it was Boy Y who was starting to get paranoid about what Girl X may say about him and decided to effectively throw Girl X under the bus at that stage knowing what she was going to say about those events? He had the advantage. He wasted no time in placing all the blame on Girl X, figuring out that he would have to blame her before she blamed him.
“The game was effectively up. Since then, they have blamed one another.
“The prosecution submit the evidence couldn’t be clearer. These two defendants were in it together throughout. Neither one of them took the lead, neither played along. By the time they met in Culcheth on February 11, both knew what they were going to do. Not in fantasy but in real life. That’s why Boy Y took his hunting knife. That’s why Girl X lied to Brianna to persuade her to come out. That’s why they took her to that place and lied to keep her there until there was no one else around. Then they killed her in just the way they said they would. Stab her in the neck, slit her throat. Boy Y stabs her in the back. We know that she was stabbed in the back.
“While Girl X stabs her in the stomach. We know that she was stabbed in the stomach.
“But it didn’t stop there. Brianna was stabbed and stabbed and stabbed. She stood no chance. She was outnumbered. Two on one. And facing a hunting knife thrust into her again and again with considerable force.
“These two defendants are young, and you will make allowance for that. But each of them knew that Boy Y’s hunting knife was capable of killing. They knew what they were doing. Having looked at what they said to one another and behaved, they intended to kill Brianna.
“Yes, they participated in the killing. And yes, they did so intending to kill. If that’s right, your verdict in respect of both of these two defendants is guilty.”
The prosecution and defence counsel's closing speeches are all happening this week before they will sum up the evidence and retire to consider verdicts.
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