POLICE say the horrific details heard during the Brianna Ghey murder trial do offer an opportunity to parents.

It comes after a boy and girl were both convicted by a jury of the Birchwood schoolgirl’s murder following a four-week-trial.

Brianna died aged 16 after being stabbed with a hunting knife 28 times in her head, neck, chest and back in Culcheth Linear Park on the afternoon of February 11.

Both defendants, who cannot be named due to their age, denied murdering the transgender Birchwood schoolgirl and blamed each other for Brianna’s death.

The trial heard both defendants, two 16-year-olds, aged 15 at the time of the offence, referred to only as girl X, from Warrington, and boy Y, from Leigh, had a fascination for violence, torture and murder and had planned the killing for weeks.

Jurors heard girl X was “obsessed” with Brianna, enjoyed watching internet torture and killing material from the “dark web” and had an interest in serial killers.

The jury was also shown a murder plan on how to kill Brianna, along with phone messages girl X and boy Y exchanged, including a kill list of other children they planned to harm.

It was this access to the dark web and the horrific material being viewed by girl X which prompted a senior Cheshire Police chief to encourage parents to use this as an ‘opportunity to sharpen up’.

Detective chief superintendent Mike Evans, Cheshire Police’s head of crime, said: “As horrendous as this is, it is really rare.

A handwritten murder plan was prepared by girl X who had access to the dark web

A handwritten "murder plan" was prepared by girl X who had access to the dark web

“Most 15-year-old kids do not go on to do things like this. These are two very warped individuals who have done what they have done.

“Access to the dark web is certainly quite worrying. It shows a level of intelligence, as not everyone can do that. It isn’t easy to do.

“It has made me reflect a little bit as a parent around actually, how do you know what your kids do when they are sat with the door shut in their bedrooms.”

DCS Evans went on to say: “There is probably a bit for all of us to do around wider internet safety and awareness, but I do not for one minute think we have got kids across Cheshire sat there Googling how to kill people.

“I think we have got to keep this in the context of what it is, which is horrendous, but. It is two warped individuals.

“I don't for one minute want to suggest that you looking at things on the internet leads to this, because these two are responsible for their actions, not anything else.

“I can only reflect on myself as a parent, looking and thinking actually, how internet aware am I, and do I know what kids are looking at, inadvertently or advertently?

“I think we could all use it as an opportunity to sharpen up.”