Concerns over Brianna's mobile use, inquest hears
· BBC NewsAndy Gill & PA Media
BBC News
Concerns had been raised over the amount of time Brianna Ghey was spending online in the run up to her murder, an inquest has heard.
The 16-year-old, who was brutally stabbed by 15-year-olds Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe in a Warrington park in February 2023, had refused to let her mother look at her mobile phone or monitor her social media use.
The inquest heard that social workers who had been working with Brianna were not allowed to remove a child's mobile phone.
Jenkinson lured Brianna to Culcheth Linear Park by sending her a text message asking her to meet her there.
The inquest heard the transgender teenager had been diagnosed with ADHD and autism, and struggled with anxiety, self-harm and an eating disorder.
But despite being offered help, Brianna struggled to engage with support services, the inquest heard.
The 16-year-old did not allow her mother Esther Ghey, who had expressed concern over the social media engagement, to access her phone.
In December 2022, a panel meeting of school staff and other professionals deemed Brianna to be at "medium risk" of child sexual exploitation.
Fiona Cowan, head of children's safeguarding at Warrington Council, said the local authority or school could not force children to engage with help services and Brianna's social worker was trying to work with her.
She said local authorities did not have responsibilities to remove mobile phones, which could only be implemented by parents.
Ms Cowan said she had known police remove the phone if they believed a child to be at risk.
The inquest heard that, shortly before the attack, Brianna had refused to go to school and a meeting was held with school heads and her grandmother Marion Ghey on 7 February 2023.
It was to discuss her "unacceptable conduct" including mobile phone usage in school and "challenging behaviour" including disrespect towards staff and rolling up her skirt to shorten it.
The inquest heard Brianna "did not react well" in the meeting and was rude, describing school rules as "ridiculous" and said she would not comply nor return to school.
Her grandmother apologised for Brianna's behaviour and thanked school staff.
Following Brianna’s death, Esther Ghey has been raising awareness of the risks of social media for children and has called for the government to stop children having access to social media apps.
Cannabis-laced sweet
The three-day inquest also heard that Jenkinson, who had a fixation with violent material on the dark web, was self-harming before the murder, but there had been no indication she could be a danger to anyone else.
At her previous school, she had given a cannabis-laced sweet to another student, who became ill and was hospitalised.
Jenkinson was then moved to Birchwood High School - where Brianna was a pupil - in what is known as a "managed transfer".
However her new school had not been told that the student who took the sweet was taken to hospital and were unaware police had been contacted.
In a statement to the inquest, Birchwood High deputy safeguarding lead Angela Clark said Jenkinson was described by Culcheth High School as “a good student who had made a mistake”.
She said Birchwood High did not conduct a risk assessment about Jenkinson, who had seemed “quiet and reserved”, because they did not think her behaviour suggested she posed a risk.
Review conclusions
Fiona Cowan, head of children’s safeguarding at Warrington Council, said a review of the case had found the managed transfer of Jenkinson from Culcheth to Birchwood had been carried out within Department of Education guidelines but could have been more robust.
It had recommended future school transfers be carried out with a multi-agency approach - rather than just by schools - using information from mental health and other organisations.
The review did not find the consequences for Brianna would have differed if there had been a different approach in Jenkinson’s transfer.
Jenkinson and Ratcliffe are serving minimum sentences of 22 and 20 years respectively after being convicted of murder.
The coroner is expected to outline her conclusion at Cheshire Coroner’s Court on Friday afternoon.
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