Brianna Ghey's mum backs £250k phone ban donation

The mother of murdered teenager Brianna Ghey has welcomed a £250,000 donation from the Duke of Westminster towards lockable phone pouches for Cheshire's high schools.

The money is likely to make Cheshire the first county in the UK to introduce a smartphone ban for all pupils in its state-run schools.

Esther Ghey's 16-year-old daughter was lured to a park in Warrington and stabbed to death by two teenagers who were obsessed with violent material they accessed online. But Brianna herself had also become "addicted" to her phone.

Ghey told the BBC: "I think that Brianna could have so benefited from this, it would have just given her six to eight hours a day respite from a screen and I think it could have potentially broken that addictive cycle."

Hugh Grosvenor, the seventh Duke of Westminster and godson of King Charles III, said he was donating the sum after being inspired by Ghey's campaigning since her daughter was killed in February 2023.

Brianna's former school, Birchwood Community High School, went phone-free in September 2024 and has reported an 81% reduction in "safeguarding issues" linked to social media or mobile phones.

Birchwood is one of 37 out of 71 mainstream schools in Cheshire that have introduced or plan to introduce lockable phone pouches since 2025, with most others operating an "out of sight" policy meaning pupils are instructed to keep their phones in a pocket or schoolbag.

In November Dan Price, Cheshire's Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC), announced an ambition to make all Cheshire schools phone-free with £150,000 funding to help schools buy lockable pouches.

He said the additional donation would help children "grow up with less online bullying, less access to potentially harmful or violent content, less distractions and less exclusions".

The issue is due to be debated in the House of Lords where a potential national ban on smartphones in schools is on the agenda.

Grosvenor said he felt strongly about smartphones being banned in school "both personally" and because "the evidence is now clear".

"We're seeing real, measurable improvements in wellbeing, focus and crucially, safety," he said.

"It isn't just about avoiding harmful content, important though that is.

"It's also about giving young people a break from constant notifications and the anxiety that comes with always being contactable during the school day."

A Year 10 pupils at Birchwood said she had noticed "people are socialising more, we are talking to each other more and engaging in the other activities that the school has to offer".

Ghey said the evidence showed that lockable pouches are significantly more effective that out-of-sight policies, which she said "just don't work".

Speaking about her daughter's former school, Ghey said the improvements have been "absolutely remarkable" since Birchwood adopted lockable pouches.

"GCSE results have improved, staff well-being has improved, children are socialising face-to-face at lunchtime and break time rather than staring down at their phones," she said.

Emma Mills, head teacher at Birchwood, described becoming a phone-free school as "transformational".

"The Duke of Westminster's generosity is absolutely fantastic," she said.

"Knowing this funding will allow the initiative to be rolled out more quickly across Cheshire means so much, it will benefit thousands of children and help schools create calmer, safer learning environments."

Listen to the best of BBC Radio Merseyside on Sounds and follow BBC Merseyside on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.