• AP News: 16-year-old killers of transgender teenager in England sentenced for ‘sadistic’ murder

The two 16-year-old convicted murderers of a transgender teenager in northwest England nearly a year ago were handed life sentences Friday with minimum prison terms of 20 and 22 years.

The horrific murder shocked the nation. Ghey was stabbed with a hunting knife 28 times in her head, neck, chest and back in broad daylight after being lured to a park in the town of Warrington on Feb. 11, 2023.

“You will only be released, if in the future, it is decided you no longer present a danger,” the judge said. “You both took part in a brutal and planned murder, which was sadistic in nature, and a secondary motivation was hostility to Brianna, because of her transgender identity.”

• Pink News: Brianna Ghey’s teen killers named as pair sentenced for trans girl’s murder

As he read his victim impact statement at Manchester Crown Court, Brianna’s father Peter Spooner described Jenkinson and Ratcliffe as “pure evil.”

“Now my world has been torn apart. Justice may have been done but no amount of time in prison will be enough for these monsters,” he said.

“I cannot call them children because that makes them sound naive or vulnerable, which they are not – they are pure evil. Brianna was the vulnerable one.”

• BBC: Brianna Ghey: 'My daughter was fearless to be who she wanted to be' (Dec. 20)

The heartbroken mother of Brianna Ghey has said she will never get over the death of her "fearless" daughter, which has left a hole in her heart.

Speaking before the verdicts, Esther Ghey said she would never forget her daughter's unwavering bravery.

"She was fearless to be whoever she wanted to be," she told the BBC.

"She wanted to identify as a female, and she wanted to wear girls' school uniform.

"She just did it - it wasn't a hurdle at all for her."

• The Guardian: ‘Truly sorry’: family of Brianna Ghey murderer pay tribute to mother

In a statement to the Warrington Guardian, Jenkinson’s family said: “All of our thoughts are for Brianna and her family.

“The last 12 months have been beyond our worst nightmares as we have come to realise the brutal truth of Scarlett’s actions. We agree with the jury’s verdict, the judge’s sentence and the decision to name the culprits.”

After the killers were convicted, Brianna’s mother, Esther Ghey, called for “empathy and compassion” for their families as “they too have lost a child” and “must live the rest of their lives knowing what their child has done”.

Jenkinson’s family, saying their lives had been left “in turmoil”, thanked Brianna’s mother for her “incredible selflessness and empathy towards our family”.

“Her compassion is overwhelming and we are forever grateful,” they said. “To all of Brianna’s family and friends, our community and everyone else that has been affected by this horror, we are truly sorry.”