GUILTY UK - Brianna Ghey, 16, murdered in Culcheth Linear Park, Feb 2023 *2 teenagers charged*

[Alyce]

I am not sure how well thought out this remark by the defence was:

The prosecution wanted to remind you of Tesco John Wick. He was a hitman. Boy Y, a hitman. Tesco John Wick. More like a Tesco meal deal.

Was he trying to be humorous? If so was not very appropriate.

I‘m not impressed by his closing so far…. She stole our defence !

I understand the point he is making, but it’s coming across to me like a petulant child

 

[bobbymkii]

I‘m not impressed by his closing so far…. She stole our defence !

I understand the point he is making, but it’s coming across to me like a petulant child

It's almost as bad as Ansreen Bukhari's barrister's Shania Twain references!

 

[Skigh]

I am itching for the defence to finish ,so the judge can do her thing and then send the jury out today.

 

[bbsaz]

I looked at Richard Littlers CV, it celebrates how many acquittal he gets...

 

[Skigh]

I looked at Richard Littlers CV, it celebrates how many acquittal he gets...

I think he knows he will not be adding this case on to that list.

 

[Legally Bland]

I am not sure how well thought out this remark by the defence was:

The prosecution wanted to remind you of Tesco John Wick. He was a hitman. Boy Y, a hitman. Tesco John Wick. More like a Tesco meal deal.

Was he trying to be humorous? If so was not very appropriate.

I made the mistake of reading that as though it was spoken by Alan Partridge and now I can't read anything he says without thinking of it in his voice.

I'm finding it a bit bombastic and muddled.

Girl X was not a fantasist. She was trying to murder someone.

[...]

No doubt Girl X was a fantasist. It would not be unreasonable for Boy Y to believe she was not telling the truth about her murderous exploits.

Brianna Ghey murder trial live updates as Girl X gives evidence

The 16-year-old transgender schoolgirl was fatally stabbed in a park and two teenagers are charged with her murder

www.liverpoolecho.co.uk

 

[Detective_Popcorn]

I made the mistake of reading that as though it was spoken by Alan Partridge and now I can't read anything he says without thinking of it in his voice.

I'm finding it a bit bombastic and muddled.

Girl X was not a fantasist. She was trying to murder someone.

[...]

No doubt Girl X was a fantasist. It would not be unreasonable for Boy Y to believe she was not telling the truth about her murderous exploits.

Brianna Ghey murder trial live updates as Girl X gives evidence

The 16-year-old transgender schoolgirl was fatally stabbed in a park and two teenagers are charged with her murder

www.liverpoolecho.co.uk

Yes. Also:

"One thing is for sure, Boy Y is very intelligent"
...
"She used Boy Y because he was stupid enough to come along"

Brianna Ghey murder trial live updates as Girl X gives evidence

The 16-year-old transgender schoolgirl was fatally stabbed in a park and two teenagers are charged with her murder

www.liverpoolecho.co.uk

 

[Lucy6226]

Yes. Also:

"One thing is for sure, Boy Y is very intelligent"
...
"She used Boy Y because he was stupid enough to come along"

Brianna Ghey murder trial live updates as Girl X gives evidence

The 16-year-old transgender schoolgirl was fatally stabbed in a park and two teenagers are charged with her murder

www.liverpoolecho.co.uk

Love the contradiction...but tbf I know a few extremely intelligent people who are stupid as

 

[bbsaz]

Yes. Also:

"One thing is for sure, Boy Y is very intelligent"
...
"She used Boy Y because he was stupid enough to come along"

Brianna Ghey murder trial live updates as Girl X gives evidence

The 16-year-old transgender schoolgirl was fatally stabbed in a park and two teenagers are charged with her murder

www.liverpoolecho.co.uk

I think this refers to academic intelligence vs social intelligence

 

[bastien]

I‘m not impressed by his closing so far….

I think most barristers would struggle to form a solid defence for this client. From the court updates, it hasn't sounded like there's much to build on.

But yes, from the transcripts it seems the least impressive of the three closings. Of course, transcripts don't paint the full picture of actually being in the courtroom

 

[Alyce]

15:38Ellen Kirwin

The jury are asked to return at 10am tomorrow​

Justice Yip says of the hunting knife: “Jane Roughley said one explanation was it had been used by Boy Y to stab Brianna but only parts of the handle had been tested for DNA. Another possible explanation is someone else used his knife to stab Brianna.

“That completes my review of the expert evidence and my review of the evidence.

“You have listened to a lot over the last two days. I think the sensible thing to do now is to send you home for the day.
I will give you the very final directions, and then you will have a relatively clear start to begin your deliberations.”

The jury are asked to return at 10am tomorrow.

Brianna Ghey murder trial live updates as Girl X gives evidence

The 16-year-old transgender schoolgirl was fatally stabbed in a park and two teenagers are charged with her murder

www.liverpoolecho.co.uk

 

[Dotta]

Hmmm...
Will the Jury decide the verdict before Christmas?
There are 3 days.

 

[Skigh]

15:38Ellen Kirwin

The jury are asked to return at 10am tomorrow​

Justice Yip says of the hunting knife: “Jane Roughley said one explanation was it had been used by Boy Y to stab Brianna but only parts of the handle had been tested for DNA. Another possible explanation is someone else used his knife to stab Brianna.

“That completes my review of the expert evidence and my review of the evidence.

“You have listened to a lot over the last two days. I think the sensible thing to do now is to send you home for the day.
I will give you the very final directions, and then you will have a relatively clear start to begin your deliberations.”

The jury are asked to return at 10am tomorrow.

Brianna Ghey murder trial live updates as Girl X gives evidence

The 16-year-old transgender schoolgirl was fatally stabbed in a park and two teenagers are charged with her murder

www.liverpoolecho.co.uk

I do not think it will take that long for her to give her final directions. If the jury are sent out by 11 am ,they will have a good couple of hours before lunch,though I think they might wait a until after lunch before giving their verdicts.

 

[Alyce]

Hmmm...
Will the Jury decide the verdict before Christmas?
There are 3 days.

I think so Dotta. I don't expect a long deliberation.

 

[Dotta]

I think so Dotta. I don't expect a long deliberation.

After LL marathon I'm veeeeery cautious

 

[iamshadow21]

After LL marathon I'm veeeeery cautious

Admittedly, there were dozens of charges and multiple victims, there.

But even Gannon, which seemed so clear cut, took the jury eight hours over two days.

As the people on trial here are children, I suspect they're going to take a while. It's a hard decision when it's adults, much harder if they're minors.

MOO

 

[Kasmeer]

Yes. Also:

"One thing is for sure, Boy Y is very intelligent"
...
"She used Boy Y because he was stupid enough to come along"

Brianna Ghey murder trial live updates as Girl X gives evidence

The 16-year-old transgender schoolgirl was fatally stabbed in a park and two teenagers are charged with her murder

www.liverpoolecho.co.uk

"Gullible" would've been a much better word than "stupid" there; it's possible (indeed, not unusual in autistic people) to be both intelligent and gullible, so that would've made much more sense!

Not a great defence closing IMO (from what was reported) but then he didn't have a lot to work with. If there wasn't so much forensic evidence, then the idea of a gullible autistic boy playing along with the fantasies, and even being talked into taking his knife along, could've been plausible, at least in so far as giving reasonable doubt, but... I struggle to believe so much blood is purely from expirated blood and a brief touch after the stabbing had taken place.

 

[Dotta]

I didn't follow all reports and I'm curious how this pair met.
Was it explained?

Did they attend the same school in the past?

They live in 2 different places - GX in W. and BY in L.
(I don't remember these names).

And they only have met in person 2 or 3 times this year?
How strange!

 

[bbsaz]

Culcheth and Leigh aren't far away. I think the girl moved schools to Birchwood. So there's a good chance they were at high school together, since 11.

But she is at a different school to him now, so likely might only see someone 3x

 

[bbsaz]

I have been on the fence about the boy. But my one sticking point was his blood droplet on Girl Xs shoes. And his blood on the sheath. And his defence gave no explanation for that, which is troubling.

I like to think his version is accurate, but that's a tricky bit of evidence to get past, with no attempt at all to explain it.