Brianna Ghey: Teenager accused of murder 'found idea of killing 16-year-old exciting'

A teenage girl accused of murdering Brianna Ghey has told a jury she was attracted to the 16-year-old and found the idea of killing her "exciting".

Warning: The following story contains girl X's description of how she felt about Brianna and the fact she was transgender.

Brianna was stabbed 28 times in her head, neck, chest and back with a hunting knife after being lured to Linear Park, in Culcheth, near Warrington, on February 11.

Girl X and boy Y, who were both 15 at the time and cannot be identified because of their age, are on trial at Manchester Crown Court, where they deny murdering Brianna, from Birchwood, in Warrington.

Girl X, now 16, admitted she had an interest in torture and fantasised about killing someone together with her co-accused, who is also now 16.

Under cross-examination from prosecutor Deanna Heer KC today, she agreed she "liked the idea of having power over somebody" and "being able to cause them pain and suffering".

The court has heard she sent messages to boy Y saying she was "obsessed" with Brianna "but didn't have feelings" for her, telling the jury: "I sent pictures of Brianna because I did find her quite attractive."

Girl X said she knew her co-accused didn't like people who were transgender and said he referred to Brianna as "it".

"I'm not sure exactly what his problem was. I just know he didn't agree with people who were trans or people who were gay either," she said.

"Even though he didn't agree with people who were trans I thought he would be understanding in a way."

She said "I'm not sure" why she began to fantasise about killing Brianna, telling the jury: "I just get random thoughts. I don't know why I get them or where it comes from."

She added: "It's mainly with people I don't like but not always. Sometimes it can be with people I do actually like and I still fantasise about it."

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

"I guess so, yes," girl X replied.

The prosecutor continued: "Did you want to kill her because she was transgender?"

"No," she said.

Girl X has insisted she had no intention of acting out the discussions she had with boy Y about killing Brianna but his barrister Richard Littler KC suggested: "You stabbed Brianna and you turned your fantasy into reality?"

She denied the claim and has told jurors she had left her co-accused and Brianna, before hearing screaming, then turning round to see boy Y stabbing Brianna.

His case is that it was girl X who stabbed her when he went to urinate behind a tree.

Girl X denied the prosecutor's suggestion they "were in it together" and that she had taken the knife and stabbed Brianna "just for fun".

She told the jury she was in "shock" and "froze" when she saw the stabbing, telling the jury: "I just stood there at first while it was happening because I knew if I did intervene it could go really bad for me."

She said she moved towards Brianna to check if she was still breathing and "panicked" and ran off with boy Y.

"As I started to run away I did stop and debate about going back but I was just too much in shock and panicked," said girl X.

She said she didn't call 999 because "I didn't think I could get the words out" and instead went home where she "couldn't think straight," adding: "I did end up crying that night."

Asked why she continued to exchange messages, which included information about the investigation into Brianna's stabbing, with boy Y, girl X said: "I was still defending boy Y at the time. He was one of my best friends. I knew it wasn't the kind of thing he would do.

"I seen him do it but I would never expect him to carry something like that out so I knew something wasn't right with him."

The jury has seen a picture of Brianna that girl X posted on Snapchat with the caption "Rest in peace" next to dove emojis, and the words: "Brianna was one of the best people I have ever met and such an amazing friend it's so f****** sickening what got done to her."

Asked why she sent the post, girl X said: "I put it up as a memorial thing as I was upset about what got done to Brianna."

The court heard that since his arrest, boy Y has been diagnosed with autism and selective mutism, an anxiety disorder, and will give evidence on Wednesday by typing his answers, which will be read out in court.

The trial continues.