Brianna Ghey was at risk of sexual exploitation because concerns were raised about her use of her mobile phone and social media, an inquest heard.

The murdered transgender teenager, 16, had thousands of followers on TikTok and YouTube, where she posted video content about make-up, hairdressing and dancing, Warrington Coroner’s Court heard.

Before her murder, concerns had been raised about her interactions online but she had refused to let her mother access her phone and her school was also unable to take the device away from her, the inquest was told.

Brianna, 16, was lured to Culcheth Linear Park by classmate Scarlett Jenkinson and her friend Eddie Ratcliffe, both 15 at the time, where she was stabbed 28 times with a hunting knife on February 11 last year.

Since the age of 14, Jenkinson had enjoyed watching videos of real-life killing and torture on the dark web, fantasized about murder, and developed an interest in serial killers.

The murder trial heard that the “frenzied” and “brutal” killing had elements of sadism, with a secondary motive being the victim’s trans identity. Both murderers were sentenced to life imprisonment.

Brianna’s inquest heard she had been diagnosed with ADHD and autism, had self-harmed and struggled with anxiety and an eating disorder.

Her school, Birchwood High, became aware of her involvement in online groups promoting eating disorders and self-harm, but she refused to get involved with internet safety advice.

Her mother, Esther Ghey, expressed concern for her well-being and safety, particularly her involvement in social media and the amount of time she spent online.

But despite being offered help, Brianna again struggled to engage with any support services, the inquest heard.

She had thousands of followers on TikTok and YouTube but did not allow her mother access to her phone and rarely put it down because it was always on her person.

In December 2022, a panel meeting of school and other professionals deemed her to be at “medium risk” of child sexual exploitation.

Fiona Cowan, head of child protection at Warrington Council, said the local authority or school could not force children to engage with support services and Brianna’s social workers tried to work with her and had “conversations” around her use of TikTok and social media.

Cheshire coroner Jacqueline Devonish asked about concerns about Brianna’s phone use and whether the school could have taken her phone from her.

Ms Cowan said: “That would be up to the parents, as a local authority we have no responsibility to allow us to remove a phone.”

Ms Cowan said she had known police to take away a child’s phone if they believed a child was in danger.

The inquest heard shortly before her murder, Brianna had refused to come to school and a meeting was held with school bosses and her grandmother, Marion Ghey, on February 7 last year.

It was to discuss her “unacceptable behaviour” including her use of a mobile phone at school and “challenging behaviour” including being disrespectful to staff and the length of her skirt, which she kept rolling up to make it shorter.

Brianna “didn’t react well” to the meeting, was rude, said school rules were “ridiculous”, wouldn’t comply and wouldn’t come back to school.

Her grandmother thanked the school staff and apologized for Brianna’s behavior.

Ms Cowan said a safety review into the case concluded that despite Jenkinson’s involvement in taking cannabis to both of her schools, no one could reasonably have predicted she would go on to commit murder.

The authorities did not know of Jenkinson’s fascination with violence or that she used the dark web to feed her violent fantasies and there was no evidence of any “gaps” in the work of the school and council that led to the murder.

Esther Ghey is now campaigning to raise awareness of the dangers of social media for children and for more parental controls to be introduced.

The questioning is expected to end later on Friday.