Teenage boy accused of murdering Brianna Ghey in knife attack ‘had blood on trainers and jacket’ | UK News

Brianna Ghey’s blood was found on a teenage boy’s trainers and jacket after she was stabbed to death, a jury heard.

The 16-year-old, who is identified as boy Y because of his age, claims he came into contact with Brianna after seeing her stabbed by girl X, also 16, and then checking if she was still alive.

Boy Y and girl X, both aged 15 at the time of Brianna’s death, both deny murder and are blaming each other for the stabbing.

Today, the jury at Manchester Crown Court heard that blood from the transgender teenager was found on boy Y’s trainers and black ski-jacket, and on a hunting knife found in his bedroom.

No blood was found on girl X’s clothing.

Brianna, 16, was found stabbed 28 times with a hunting knife in Culcheth Linear Park, near Warrington, on the afternoon of 11 February.

Prosecutors said she suffered unsurvivable injuries to her head, neck, chest, back and sides in the “sustained and violent assault”.

They told the jury the pair planned to kill Brianna and, irrespective of who wielded the knife, both are guilty of murder.

‘Not realistic’ girl X stabbed Brianna

Jane Roughley, a forensic scientist and blood pattern expert who visited the scene, said her overall conclusion was consistent with Brianna being attacked at or near a bench – either sitting or standing – or near the top of some steps nearby where her body was found.

The blood pattern distribution at the area of the steps suggests Brianna was assaulted at a low level, or while she was close to the ground, she concluded.

Miss Roughley said the amount of blood on the jacket boy Y was wearing was more than she would expect if he had simply touched her to see if she was still alive.

Richard Pratt KC, defending girl X, said boy Y’s suggestion that girl X had done the stabbing was “not realistic”, with no blood transfer to her clothing.

Mr Pratt continued: “If X used the knife 28 times, to not find it – extraordinary – not a drop of blood on her jacket. That’s what boy Y’s account is.”

Instead, he suggested girl X’s account, that boy Y inflicted the injuries, was consistent with the scientific evidence of no blood on her clothing.

Miss Roughley said the evidence does not point either way, as a wound can be inflicted without blood being transferred.

Mr Pratt continued: “What scientific finding is inconsistent with girl X’s account?”

Miss Roughly said: “There are none.”

Boy Y’s defence claims blood patterns ‘do not assist’ murder claim

Joanne Millington, a forensic scientist and blood spatter analysis expert called by the defence for boy Y, added that she disagreed with Miss Roughley’s findings.

Ms Millington said she believed analysis of blood patterns “do not assist” in finding whether boy Y was either active in an attack on Brianna or had interacted with her body to check whether she was alive.

Richard Littler KC, defending boy Y, also asked Miss Roughley: “You are being asked the scientific significance of no blood from Brianna Ghey being found on the red jacket (which belonged to girl X).

“Have you been in cases where items have been washed? Sometimes washing away blood?

Miss Roughley replied: “In some instances, yes.”

Mr Littler suggested that at the beginning of knife attacks, there is less likely to be blood flowing freely and clothing a victim is wearing could soak up blood instead of it transferring to the attacker.

He asked: “So the absence of blood on somebody’s clothing may indicate they are not involved at all?

“It may also indicate they were involved at the time early on in an attack – putting a knife into someone’s body, an area of body that was clothed. All that could explain why the attacker could not get blood on her?”

Miss Roughley replied: “Yes.”