Two 16-year-olds accused of murdering transgender teenager Brianna Ghey had a “preoccupation” with dying, violence and torture, a courtroom has heard.
The defendants, a woman and a boy, had beforehand shared messages about “dark web” torture movies, snuff movies, and the fictional serial killer Sweeney Todd, jury members have been advised.
Prosecutors additionally advised Manchester Crown Court that the pair had compiled an inventory of 4 folks they needed to kill, together with Brianna – with whom one of many defendants had turn into “obsessed”.
Brianna, 16, born a boy however who recognized and lived as a woman, was fatally stabbed 28 occasions with a looking knife in Culcheth Linear Park, close to Warrington, Cheshire, in February this 12 months.
The defendants, a woman, 16, recognized solely as X, and a boy, 16, recognized solely as Y, and who can’t be recognized resulting from their age, deny her homicide.
At the beginning of their trial, the jury was learn messages recovered from the telephones of woman X and boy Y which prosecutor Deanna Heer KC mentioned confirmed a “preoccupation” with “violence, torture and death”.
Ms Heer advised the jury how they mentioned desirous to kill folks they knew, and the way, over time, they inspired one another to consider how they’d perform such a plan.
In November 2022, the pair mentioned killing a baby known as boy M, the courtroom heard.
In one message, woman X mentioned: “If I do find yourself killing boy M, I’ve a extremely sharp blade, the identical one which Sweeney Todd makes use of.
“If we kill boy M can I keep some things, a couple of teeth and an eye.”
In early December 2022, woman X despatched boy Y a video which was apparently an advert for an underground web site for individuals who like rape, snuff, torture and homicide.
Girl X advised boy Y: “I love watching torture vids. Real ones on the dark web,” the jury heard.
The courtroom heard that on 1 January 2023, boy Y despatched woman X a photograph of a looking knife.
“It was this knife, members of the jury, that was to be used to kill Brianna just six weeks after this image had been sent,” Ms Heer mentioned.
In December final 12 months, the courtroom heard, woman X messaged boy Y telling him she was “obsessed over someone” referred to as Brianna.
Girl X advised him that Brianna was trans, sounded similar to a woman, and appeared actually fairly, the courtroom was advised.
Ms Heer advised the courtroom that in January, woman X created a faux Instagram account to contact one among their targets, known as boy E, however the request was blocked.
“If we can’t get boy E tomorrow we can kill Brianna,” woman X mentioned in one of many messages, learn out in courtroom.
Boy Y replied saying: “Yeah, it’ll be easier and I want to see if it will scream like a man or a girl.”
They mentioned assembly Brianna and killing her on the park, the courtroom heard, with woman X writing: “I want to stab her at least once even if she’s dead jus coz its fun lol [laughing out loud].”
While the pair met on 28 January in Culcheth Linear Park, they didn’t meet with Brianna, the courtroom heard.
Ms Heer advised the jury that Brianna died after she suffered a “sustained and violent assault” on the afternoon of 11 February.
Her physique was found by canine walkers at about 3pm in Culcheth Linear Park, close to Warrington.
The courtroom heard the canine walkers noticed a female and male breaking right into a run as they approached Brianna’s physique.
Ms Heer mentioned there was no dispute that the female and male seen working away from Brianna’s physique have been the 2 defendants.
“Nor is there any dispute that in the days and weeks leading up to that day they had discussed killing her,” she added.
“Indeed, it is accepted that Brianna Ghey was killed with a knife that belonged to boy Y, a knife which he told girl X he would be bringing with him that day and which he said was sharp enough to kill her.”
The jury was advised how the defendants, each of whom have been 15 on the time of Brianna’s stabbing, denied homicide and denied taking part in killing her.
Ms Heer mentioned: “Each blames the other. The prosecution case is that whoever it was who delivered the fatal blow or blows, both defendants are equally guilty.
“Acting collectively, they deliberate and executed their plan to kill Brianna.”
The trial, anticipated to last as long as 4 weeks, was adjourned till Tuesday.
Source: information.sky.com”