Cheshire PCC says Brianna Ghey's murder is why he wants social media banned for everyone under 16
Dan Price says he's focused on making sure that social media doesn't derail young people's education
Last updated 16th Mar 2026
The Police and Crime Commissioner for Cheshire says that the murder of Brianna Ghey is a major reason for why he wants social media to be banned for everyone under 16
Dan Price says he’s not surprised the Government hasn’t moved forward with the idea yet, but hopes things might change after a public consultation wraps up next year.
In an interview, Dan Price told us...
"I think the government has set out that it wants to go into a consultation this summer. So I wasn't totally surprised by that.
"I think there's some politics going on, but I think the government is firmly committed to its consultation and I massively welcome that because I think probably a year ago, no one was even talking about changes in this space"
Speaking about the ban itself, he said:
"I think a ban is the right thing. I know there's lots of people in Parliament who think it's the right thing, but I think I think we're all waking up to the consequences of social media, whether it's a young person or an older person. I think we're all alive to it.
"But in particular, I'm really focused on making sure that social media doesn't derail young people's education, because then we have a problem forever.
"And that's why we've been so keen to weigh into this space and try and do something about it."
After her death in February, an inquest heard the teenager was 'immersed in darkness' leading up to her murder.
Anxious and vulnerable, unsuspecting Brianna was stabbed with a hunting knife 28 times in her head, neck, chest and back after being lured to Linear Park in Culcheth, a village near Warrington, Cheshire, on the afternoon of February 11 2023.
Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe, both 15 at the time, were jailed for life after being convicted of the "sadistic" and "exceptionally brutal" murder.
Esther Ghey, Brianna's mother, said her daughter's issues with mental health began around the age of 14 but she refused to engage with the Child Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS).
Brianna spent a lot of time online, including using groups promoting eating disorders and self-harm, with Ms. Ghey saying how she felt the online world that Brianna was living in was 'very toxic'.
When asked about if Brianna Ghey's story has had an influence on his opinions of the phone ban, Dan Price simply answered:
"A lot."
"It's a sad reality that really horrific things happen in this country. This isn't the first time that something horrific has happened, but it was very significant in Derbyshire. And it's why I've took such an interest; to make sure that we are doing something different.
"So I've got to know Esther Ghey really well, I think she's an incredible person to pioneer.
"We've got to do things differently."
Finally, Mr. Price spoke to us about what changes are coming to schools in Cheshire, so that something like the murder of Brianna Ghey never happens again:
"It's the reason why we're going to get phones out of the classroom. 70% of Cheshire state high schools have now signed up to our phone free education commitment. We're giving them funding to get pouches, lockable phone pouches, so the phone will be out of the classroom. Schools that have done it, 80% reduction in safeguarding, 90% plus in behaviour standards, that's hundreds of less detentions in schools that roll this stuff out."
"Academic ability goes up, there's loads of wins and it's about getting this distracting element of these schools out of the classroom, making it about education, about learning, and it's safer, so why wouldn't we do this?
"So we're proud in Cheshire to be pioneering this way forward."
"Working with Esther Ghey as part of the Brianna Ghey Legacy and we're hoping that others will follow."