Dad of Brianna Ghey's Leigh schoolboy killer jailed for sexual offences

A judge said Kyle Ratcliffe, from Leigh, presented a “significant risk” to young girls and teenagers.

Sixteen-year-olds Eddie Ratcliffe and Scarlett Jenkinson were sentenced to life in prison earlier this month after being convicted of murdering Brianna “in a “frenzied and ferocious” knife attack.

Now, it can be reported that Ratcliffe’s dad Kyle Ratcliffe is starting his own prison sentence after pleading guilty to two counts of exposure and one of making an indecent video of a child.

Legal restrictions had been in place to prevent the reporting of Kyle Ratcliffe as Eddie Ratcliffe’s father, to ensure he could have a fair trial, but these were lifted following his guilty pleas.

Manchester Crown Court heard that Ratcliffe, 36, was seen performing a sex act as he drove past two 16-year-old girls waiting at a bus stop on Leigh Road, Boothstown, at around 7.45am on November 22.

The girls were at the same bus stop the following day when Ratcliffe drove past again in his Maserati and they saw him repeating the act.

Michelle Brown, prosecuting, said one of the girls was able to take a photograph of Ratcliffe’s car on the second occasion.

After searching online, they realised the seriousness of what had happened and told their parents, who reported the incidents to the police.

The girls were “confused” and “shocked” by what they saw and one said it was a “violation of her privacy”, Miss Brown said.

Ratcliffe, of Imperial Drive, Leigh, was arrested on December 15 and told police he had a medical condition which meant he needed to use the toilet immediately, so he sometimes drove with his trousers down to his thighs.

Police seized his Samsung mobile phone and found a video filmed on the afternoon of August 22 of a “prepubescent girl” aged 12 to 15 who was getting changed.

The video lasted two minutes and 10 seconds and the girl did not know she was being filmed, Miss Brown said.

Investigations revealed the video had been filmed at Wild Shore water park in Delamere.

The court heard Ratcliffe had also used his mobile phone to look for pornography between September and December, using search terms related to children.

Ratcliffe was charged in January with taking an indecent category C image of a child and two counts of exposure.

He initially denied the offences but pleaded guilty to them all when he appeared at Manchester Crown Court on Thursday morning.

Miss Brown told the court Ratcliffe had previous convictions for exposure and disorderly behaviour from 2008 and 2012, when he performed sex acts while driving and was seen by members of the public, including a 16-year-old girl.

He was given a suspended prison sentence in 2008 and a three-year community order in 20212, with a requirement to attend a programme.

Ratcliffe’s crimes took place just days before his son stood trial accused of the brutal murder of Brianna at Culcheth Linear Park.

Mark Friend, defending, said: “It is impossible to divorce this defendant’s offending over the course of a period of months through the summer and into the end of 2023 from what was occurring in his family unit during the course of 2023.

“I don’t for a minute seek to engender any feeling of sympathy.”

Ratcliffe “bears the responsibility” for the offences, he said, and made admissions to the probation officer writing a pre-sentence report.

He said Ratcliffe had been separated from his wife and two other children while remanded in custody since January and had tried to use his time “constructively and proactively”, including making inquiries about courses and programmes available.

Referring to reference submitted on behalf of Ratcliffe, Mr Friend said: “They illustrate to these courts that there is clearly a very different side to Kyle Ratcliffe than the one that is illustrated by his offending in these three counts.

“He is someone who is highly regarded by those with whom he has personal and professional relationships.”

He argued that any custodial sentence given to Ratcliffe should be suspended, but this was rejected by the judge.

Speaking to Ratcliffe, Judge John Potter said: “The offences within this indictment, coupled with your previous convictions, make it quite clear that you have a sexual attraction towards female children and teenagers, whom you objectivise for the purposes of your own sexual gratification. This, Mr Ratcliffe, has potential to cause very serious harm and portrays you, in my judgement, as currently presenting a significant risk to such individuals.”

He said Ratcliffe told a “pack of lies” when interviewed by police or “said nothing at all”.

Judge Potter said he was aware that his son being charged with murder and the court proceedings “will have had an impact upon you”, but they “provide no excuse whatsoever for your behaviour”.

He jailed Ratcliffe for a total of 15 months - 12 months for making the video and three months each, to run concurrently, for the two incidents of exposure.

He will serve half of the sentence in prison and the rest on licence, with the time he has already spent in custody on remand to count.

Ratcliffe must also sign the sex offenders’ register for 10 years and a five-year sexual harm prevention order was imposed which restricts his use of the internet.

A barring order was put in place to prohibit him working with children.