Brianna Ghey: Jury sees footage of murder suspects' arrests

A teenager accused of murdering Brianna Ghey asked a police officer if she was being arrested because she was the "last person to see her alive".

Brianna, 16, was stabbed 28 times in Linear Park in Culcheth, Cheshire, on 11 February, and a girl, identified only as X, was held the day after.

Jurors were shown police body-worn camera footage from when officers arrested X and a boy, identified as Y, who were both 15 at the time.

Both X and Y, both now 16, deny murder.

Neither defendant can be named because of their age.

X and Y were arrested after being seen with Brianna on the day she died, and X's mother phoned police, the court heard.

In the call by X's mother, at about 17:00 GMT on the day after Brianna's death, X told police she and Y had been with Brianna in the park, but Briana, who was transgender, had then gone off with a Manchester boy aged 17, who owned a car.

Two-and-a-half hours later, both defendants were arrested at their homes by Cheshire Police officers wearing balaclavas and body armour, Manchester Crown Court heard.

X could be seen standing on the landing at the top of the stairs as PC Chris Rigby tells her: "Listen to what I have to say. From the information I have received, you are under suspicion of the murder of Brianna Ghey yesterday."

X was then cautioned, the footage showed, and had her arms handcuffed behind her back, with one officer saying: "Be careful. She has got really small wrists."

She could be seen being asked for her mobile phone before giving her pin and nodding as she is asked if she understood what was happening, and shaking her head when asked if she had ever been arrested before.

X was then told she would be taken in for questioning and, because of her age, arrangements were being made for a parent to accompany her, the footage showed.

X then asks the officer: "How come I'm a suspect? Is it because I was the last person to see her alive?"

PC Rigby tells her he can only give information about the arresting process, not the investigation.

Jurors were then shown footage of the simultaneous arrest of Y.

He could be seen being held on the landing outside his bedroom, kneeling down as officers handcuffed him.

In the footage, Y told them: "I can explain," as he is told he was being arrested for murder and taken in for questioning.

The trial, which began on Monday, has already been told that X and Y had a fixation with torture, violence and death, that the pair had a "kill list" of other child victims, that a "murder plan" to kill Brianna was found in X's bedroom, that X had posted a tribute to Brianna on social media after the 16-year-old's death, and that X had an interest in serial killers.

Earlier on Friday, the jury was shown footage of Y getting the bus home on the day of the stabbing, with his hood up and his sleeves over his hands.

Deanna Heer KC, prosecuting, said Y's web history that afternoon showed him accessing sites with advice on breathing exercises for stress and getting help for anxiety.

Later, X sent a message to Y saying: "Do you know what my favourite quote is? If you wish for peace prepare for war."

She asked Y: "Do you have anxiety about getting caught?"

Y replied: "Probably."

X said: "You're not going to get caught don't worry."

The trial was adjourned until Monday.

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