Brianna Ghey: Murder-accused 'liked idea of causing pain and suffering'

A girl accused of the "frenzied" murder of teenager Brianna Ghey has said she liked the idea of causing pain and suffering.

But the girl, referred to only as girl X for legal reasons, denied turning her fantasy into reality.

Brianna, 16, was stabbed to death in a park in Linear Park in Culcheth, near Warrington, Cheshire, in February.

The girl and another teenager, identified as boy Y, both deny murder at Manchester Crown Court.

Warning: Some readers might find the following report distressing

Prosecutors have alleged Brianna, who was transgender, was deliberately lured to Culcheth Linear Park by girl X and boy Y, who had planned to kill her.

The pair, who were both aged 15 at the time of Brianna's death, blame each other for the killing.

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

The prosecution has also alleged that both teenagers were fixated with torture, violence and death.

Giving evidence, girl X admitted fantasising about killing Brianna but denied the killing was about turning "dark fantasies" into reality.

Addressing her, Richard Littler KC, defending boy Y, asked her: "I'm going to suggest, this was not fantasy any more, this was something you could do. You could stab Brianna?"

"No," the girl replied.

Jurors were shown a crumpled, handwritten note of an alleged "murder plan" to kill Brianna found on the bedroom floor of girl X after her arrest.

Notes were also made on serial killers including Jeffrey Dahmer, Richard Ramirez and Harold Shipman in a black notebook.

Being cross-examined by Deanna Heer KC, prosecuting, girl X was asked if she liked the "idea of having power over somebody?"

Girl X said: "Yes."

Ms Heer said: "Did you like the idea of being able to cause them pain and suffering?"

Girl X replied: "Yes."

She said she found Brianna "really interesting" and "quite attractive" and agreed she enjoyed the idea of killing her.

Ms Heer asked: "Did you find the idea of killing Brianna, who you were attracted to, exciting?"

Girl X said: "I guess so, yes."

Girl X told the court the three teenagers had planned to "hang out" in the park and while they were there, she pretended to be Brianna when she contacted a drug dealer via Snapchat, but he was delayed in meeting them.

Mr Littler said that had been a way to keep Brianna in the park, adding: "Might it be you were just trying to get ready to stab her, trying to find the courage to do it?"

"No," girl X replied.

The court has heard that boy Y told police he went to relieve himself behind a tree and when he came back, he saw girl X stabbing Brianna.

Girl X told the jury that was incorrect and that while Brianna was sat on a bench, she walked away to stretch her legs, heard a scream and turned to see him stabbing the teenager.

She told the jury she was "in shock" when she saw boy Y had attacked Brianna and, after checking whether Brianna was still breathing, she ran away.

"I realised it was just me stood there with Brianna, that wasn't going to look great after what just happened, so I panicked and started to run," she told the jury.

"Do you remember, when you were walking away from the scene with boy Y, you were wiping blood from your face, Brianna's blood, using your saliva?" the barrister asked.

"No," she replied again.

The trial continues.

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