The Student Room Group

Brianna Ghey killed in quiet village


Police investigating the killing of 16-year-old Brianna Ghey have said they are now considering whether it could have been a hate crime.

The schoolgirl was found lying with stab wounds on a path in Linear Park in Culcheth, Cheshire, on Saturday.

Police have been granted a 30-hour extension to question a boy and girl, both aged 15, who have been arrested on suspicion of murder.

They said all lines of inquiry were "being explored", including hate crime.Brianna was a transgender girl but Cheshire Police detectives previously said there was no evidence to suggest the killing was "hate related".

They said a post-mortem examination was planned and officers were still searching for the weapon used. They are also trying to establish a motive for the attack.

Candle-lit vigils are to be held across the UK, with events due to be held this evening in Liverpool and Bristol.

Events - organised by members of the transgender community and supporters - are also planned in the coming days in cities including Manchester, Glasgow, Belfast and York.


can read more on the story here: Brianna Ghey killing investigated as possible hate crime - BBC News
(edited 1 year ago)

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Reply 1
Dreadful occurrence, the UK seems a particularly violent place these days - although at least acid seems to feature less i guess?
One thing im mildly curious about is why the 'hate' dimension would make the crime exponentially worse? Surely if someone is murdered (the strict legal definition of course, premeditation and death being the desired outcome) that should be just as bad as someone being killed for any other reason?
Might just be ones reading of it but it seems somewhat tacky to attribute one murder as being more deserving of retribution (so to speak) than any other.
absolute tragedy. Obviously a hate crime but the only reason the police are even investigating is because of the publicity on social media, they initially dismissed it as not one (because they're partially responsible, the escalating violence and bullying against her at school was escalated to them and to the local MP who all ignored it, and openly admitting straight away a possible hate motive would make them look bad). Failed by the police, failed by the government who encouraged the hatred that killed her for their culture war and then disrespected in death + her family mocked by our evil press (Daily Mail phoning up her opticians to get her deadname so they could plaster it through their reporting, telegraph going out of their way to quote Harry Miller despite him having no relevance so they could have a pull quote about the tragic "death of a young male"). And being under 18, she won't have a GRC so her and her grieving family get one more insult once the death certificate is issued because even in death those in charge won't afford her the dignity they denied her in life. Rest in power lass.
(edited 1 year ago)
Original post by Stiff Little Fingers
absolute tragedy. Obviously a hate crime but the only reason the police are even investigating is because of the publicity on social media, they initially dismissed it as not one (because they're partially responsible, the escalating violence and bullying against her at school was escalated to them and to the local MP who all ignored it, and openly admitting straight away a possible hate motive would make them look bad). Failed by the police, failed by the government who encouraged the hatred that killed her for their culture war and then disrespected in death + her family mocked by our evil press (Daily Mail phoning up her opticians to get her deadname so they could plaster it through their reporting, telegraph going out of their way to quote Harry Miller despite him having no relevance so they could have a pull quote about the tragic "death of a young male"). And being under 18, she won't have a GRC so her and her grieving family get one more insult once the death certificate is issued because even in death those in charge won't afford her the dignity they denied her in life. Rest in power lass.

yeah for once, I believe that this could have been a hate crime i.e. I wouldn't be surprised if it was one.
Shame. If it does turn out to be a hate crime, it will be very much a case of hate to say we told you so.

The amount of invective trans women get from conservative identity politics fanatics in the media who are determined to delegitimise their existence feeds into hate.
(edited 1 year ago)
Original post by Talkative Toad
yeah for once, I believe that this could have been a hate crime i.e. I wouldn't be surprised if it was one.


fully expecting it to turn up as that given the history of bullying being reported. based on the correspondence of one of her classmates parents, this was entirely predictable: https://mobile.twitter.com/damian17236445/status/1625126756645498881

Police, School, local authority and the local MP Charlotte Nichols all made aware of the bullying of multiple kids in that school, how it was ratcheting up towards causing a death and not one of them took any attempt to act. her community should be demanding answers as to why such a huge failure of safeguarding was allowed to happen by all those with responsibility
One thing im mildly curious about is why the 'hate' dimension would make the crime exponentially worse? Surely if someone is murdered (the strict legal definition of course, premeditation and death being the desired outcome) that should be just as bad as someone being killed for any other reason?
Might just be ones reading of it but it seems somewhat tacky to attribute one murder as being more deserving of retribution (so to speak) than any other.

Presumably because the crime wouldn't have happened if hatred was not the motivation (assuming the crime was motivated by hatred to begin with).
Reply 7
Original post by SHallowvale
Presumably because the crime wouldn't have happened if hatred was not the motivation (assuming the crime was motivated by hatred to begin with).


Seems more legit to bump someone off due to hatred rather than funsies though.

It's just a snazzy term for murder due to a protected characteristic/a few groups protected characteristic adjacent.
Original post by SHallowvale
Presumably because the crime wouldn't have happened if hatred was not the motivation (assuming the crime was motivated by hatred to begin with).

Yeah I don't usually say this often these days but I personally think that it's mostly likely a hate crime (or that some level of discrimination from the suspects motivated them to commit the crime).
Original post by Stiff Little Fingers
fully expecting it to turn up as that given the history of bullying being reported. based on the correspondence of one of her classmates parents, this was entirely predictable: https://mobile.twitter.com/damian17236445/status/1625126756645498881

Police, School, local authority and the local MP Charlotte Nichols all made aware of the bullying of multiple kids in that school, how it was ratcheting up towards causing a death and not one of them took any attempt to act. her community should be demanding answers as to why such a huge failure of safeguarding was allowed to happen by all those with responsibility


Wow 2 years ago they raised the issue but the school did jack all. Can just imagine how ****ed off I or my relative would be if the same had happened to me.
Reply 10
Original post by SHallowvale
Presumably because the crime wouldn't have happened if hatred was not the motivation (assuming the crime was motivated by hatred to begin with).

How many cases of murder do you know that dont come sans a degree of hate, or at least a complete lack of caring to deep to be equivelent?

The point was more, why do you believe that joe bloggs being gunned down for his bus money or jane doe being raped and murdered out of sheer opportunity are inherently better than this travesty? Are murders not all inherently bad, with or without this particular example of mens rea?
Although, since when has a hate crime been demonstrated yet, last one heard from the investigation, whilst it hadn't been ruled out, it hadn't been ruled in either?
Reply 11
Original post by Talkative Toad
Wow 2 years ago they raised the issue but the school did jack all. Can just imagine how ****ed off I or my relative would be if the same had happened to me.

It does rather beggar belief that schools are permitted to just (if not allow) but certainly do squat to prevent this sort of bullying, or any bullying for that matter (killing a child or driving one to suicide not having that much difference in ones book). Given the problem has been around since time immemorial its horrifying they haven't managed to find some way of addressing it outside of scolding, or maybe suspending if theyre feeling unusually bold.
How many cases of murder do you know that dont come sans a degree of hate, or at least a complete lack of caring to deep to be equivelent? The point was more, why do you believe that joe bloggs being gunned down for his bus money or jane doe being raped and murdered out of sheer opportunity are inherently better than this travesty? Are murders not all inherently bad, with or without this particular example of mens rea?


It's less so the hate itself but rather hate against specific groups of people, e.g. people of a certain sex, ethnicity, sexuality or, in this case, gender identity. I guess the assumption is that hate against these groups is itself immoral, which would therefore make a hate crime worse than a 'regular' crime would otherwise be.

Although, since when has a hate crime been demonstrated yet, last one heard from the investigation, whilst it hadn't been ruled out, it hadn't been ruled in either?


I don't know if this case is a hate crime or not. It wouldn't surprise me if it were, but I'll wait for the police to decide that and for more evidence to come out.
It does rather beggar belief that schools are permitted to just (if not allow) but certainly do squat to prevent this sort of bullying, or any bullying for that matter (killing a child or driving one to suicide not having that much difference in ones book). Given the problem has been around since time immemorial its horrifying they haven't managed to find some way of addressing it outside of scolding, or maybe suspending if theyre feeling unusually bold.

Yeah the school/area needs new management.
Original post by Crazed cat lady
Shame. If it does turn out to be a hate crime, it will be very much a case of hate to say we told you so.

The amount of invective trans women get from conservative identity politics fanatics in the media who are determined to delegitimise their existence feeds into hate.


I think it will turn out to be a hate crime but I think its just police procedure that was the reason for their initial comments. They need to keep an open mind about motivations etc.
Can’t wait till this is bounced to the enemies of the people in July and the offenders get a maximum of 10 years behind bars. Whatever their age, once a murderer always a murderer. Just another example of lawless Britain.
(edited 1 year ago)
Reply 16
Original post by imlikeahermit
Can’t wait till this is bounced to the enemies of the people in July and the offenders get a maximum of 10 years behind bars. Whatever their age, once a murderer always a murderer. Just another example of lawless Britain.


Eh?

You say they'll get put behind bars but that there are no laws....?

This example sounds like a clockwork case of the police and justice system working....
Original post by Quady
Eh?

You say they'll get put behind bars but that there are no laws....?

This example sounds like a clockwork case of the police and justice system working....

It’ll work when they’re sentenced appropriately.
Original post by imlikeahermit
Can’t wait till this is bounced to the enemies of the people in July and the offenders get a maximum of 10 years behind bars. Whatever their age, once a murderer always a murderer. Just another example of lawless Britain.


The suspects are apparently children I think so I'm not sure how the sentencing is going to work.
Fifteen minutes from me. I wish I could say I was shocked.

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