Esther Ghey meets mother of her daughter Brianna’s killer and is ‘open to working with her’

Esther Ghey says she wanted to see how the family of her daughter’s killer have been affected

Brianna Ghey’s mother has said she “won’t be broken” after an “emotional” meeting with the mother of her daughter’s killer.

Brianna, 16, was brutally stabbed to death by Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe, both now aged 16 but who were 15 at the time, after they lured her to Culcheth Linear Park near Warrington on 11 February last year.

Esther Ghey, who was voted The Independent’s Woman of the Year 2024, said she wanted to see how the tragic events of the last year have affected Jenkinson’s family.

Esther Ghey said she wanted to see how the tragic events of the last year have affected Jenkinson’s family (BBC )

The 37-year-old, who has taken up campaigning since the tragic murder, is now fighting for greater controls on young people’s social media and to secure more mental health support in schools.

Ms Ghey met with Jenkinson’s mother and uncle in their hometown, Warrington.

The mother of murdered teenager Brianna Ghey has been campaigning for improved online safeguards for children (PA Wire)

Together, they discussed family, parenting and the ways they could work together to encourage mindfulness among teenagers.

“The tragedy last year has affected so many, and changed so many lives,” Ms Ghey said. “We lost our beautiful Brianna, but Scarlett’s family’s lives have been changed forever too.

“I wanted to sit down with Scarlett’s family to find out how the last year had affected them. It was a positive and respectful meeting which allowed us to initially get to know each other.”

She added: “They haven’t only lost a child but they have to live with what’s happened for the rest of their lives.”

Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe brutally killed Brianna on 11 February 2023 (PA Media)

When asked how she has the strength to face the mother of her daughter’s killer, Ms Ghey said: “Things happen and you can either use them as a lesson and where can we go from here, or they can break you, and I won’t be broken.”

Speaking about the meeting, she said it was “emotional” adding Jenkinson’s mother and uncle are “very nice, normal people”.

“Her coming to see me shows a great deal of bravery on her part as well. It was a very emotional meeting but I am so glad I did that.”

The conversation opened up the possibility of Jenkinson’s mother working together with Ms Ghey on her Peace and Mind community interest company, which was launched as a legacy to Brianna.

The campaign has so far raised £85,305.

Ms Ghey said she and Jenkinson’s mother discussed family, parenting and the ways they could work together to encourage mindfulness among teenagers (PA)

In the harrowing four-week trial, Manchester Crown Court heard how the “warped” pair had a fascination for violence, torture and murder, and shared a “thirst for killing”, with Jenkinson downloading a browser allowing her to search the “dark web” for “red rooms” showing real-life torture and killing videos.

After the pair were sentenced to life imprisonment earlier this month, Brianna’s mother Esther Ghey, 37, began campaigning for improved safeguarding of children against the risks of accessing harmful content online, including an age limit for smartphone usage and stricter controls on access to social media apps.

Ms Ghey said it was “absolutely shocking that a young person can access the dark web”.

Brianna herself accessed eating disorder and self-harm content on X, which worsened her mental health struggles.

Last week Ms Ghey met with the prime minister and secretary of state for Science, Innovation and Technology Michelle Donelan to discuss her campaigns, having met with Keir Starmer earlier in the month.

She is proud to announce her plans to set up Community Interest Company (CIC) to continue her campaigns around mindfulness and mobile phone usage.

“I’ve been overwhelmed by the support the Peace in Mind campaign has received,” she said. “So to continue this legacy for Brianna, I wanted to create a Community Interest Company to continue its good work.”

The new company is called Peace and Mind UK.

Their mission is to create a “safer, more empathetic and resilient society”.

The two focuses are mindfulness in schools and better safeguarding around social media and mobile phones.