How lessons learned from Holly Newton's murder could help keep other teens safe

Lessons learned from the horrifying stab murder of schoolgirl Holly Newton could help keep other teens safe.

Holly was just 15 years old when she was knifed to death by her ex-boyfriend Logan MacPhail in a Hexham alleyway, in January 2023. Newcastle Crown court heard how the then 16-year-old killer followed his victim and her friends around the town, after she had finished school, before attacking Holly and another boy with a knife. Holly later died in hospital.

Had Holly been a year older when she died, a Domestic Homicide Review would have been carried out to explore the events leading to her death and whether anything could have been done to prevent it. However, such reviews are only triggered when a victim is aged 16 or over.

Holly's mum, Micala Trussler, has previously told of her concerns that lessons will not be learned from her daughter's murder, which she fears has been viewed a case centred around youth knife crime and not domestic violence. The statutory definition of domestic abuse states a victim must be aged 16 or over.

But today, Northumberland County Council has confirmed a "rapid review" was carried out soon after Holly died to ensure all agencies were able to recognise when young people might be in a controlling or abusive relationship and that they are provided with the right support.

And the authority said work was already going on in schools to promote healthy relationships advice to young people.

A Northumberland County Council spokesman said: "This was a hugely distressing incident which has had a devastating impact on Holly's family and friends and understandably caused widespread shock in the wider community.

"A rapid review was undertaken within three weeks of the murder, which highlighted the need for all agencies to recognise and support young people who may be in a controlling or abusive relationship - a measure supported at a national level.

"Since then a range of work has been carried out both by the council and a range of partners and support services to promote healthy relationships, both with practitioners and young people themselves through our schools."

MacPhail, of Birtley, Gateshead, was found guilty of murdering Holly and wounding another youth with intent, following a trial at Newcastle Crown Court.

Jurors heard how MacPhail had taken it badly when his 18-month relationship with Holly came to an end. And on the day of the murder he left school early and travelled from Gateshead to Hexham.

David Brooke KC, prosecuting, said: “They had been boyfriend and girlfriend but had recently split up. It is clear from the evidence that Logan MacPhail was very unhappy about the break-up."

The court heard how MacPhail approached Holly outside a pizza shop where a boy she had been with was ordering food.

Holly, unaware that her ex was carrying a knife, agreed to speak to him in an alleyway next to the takeaway, which is where MacPhail launched his frenzied attack. A boy who went to Holly’s aid also suffered knife injuries and passers-by and people from the shop also went to stop MacPhail, who was pulled off Holly while still stabbing her.

The court heard MacPhail attended Cedar College, Gateshead, a special school. He was described as having autism and special educational needs.

He met Holly through attending Army cadets in Consett and they were in a relationship for 18 months.

Holly’s friend described the relationship as "toxic" and said they would frequently argue. The court heard it turned out MacPhail had travelled close to where Holly lived the night before he killed her. Police received a report he was missing from home and “feeling down” after breaking up with his girlfriend. Further information was received by police through Mac­­Phail’s mother that he was in a park in Haltwhistle waiting to get possessions back from Holly. Police found him and took him home.

Phone messages showed MacPhail wanted to get his PlayStation back by meeting Holly at Haltwhistle park. She replied but refused to meet him in Haltwhistle and said that she could meet him in Hexham the following day after school.

She later sent messages to someone saying she was worried in case “he follows us and it all kicks off”.

MacPhail had gone to Haltwhistle nonetheless. By this time Holly had blocked him on a messaging app. He then made repeated attempts to contact Holly through her brother.

Mr Brooke said: “It is obvious from the messages that Logan believed that Holly had been seeing other boys.”

Just after midnight, MacPhail began to contact Holly’s friend asking for information about Holly. In one message he asked if she would “trick her into meeting me”. He said that it would mean they could “end it” in person.

The friend told the police that, early on the January 27, MacPhail had contacted her stating he would see them either at their school or at the bus station. The friend stated that MacPhail had also told her that if he did come to Hexham, she was not to tell Holly.

The court heard messages recovered from Holly’s phone “show her attitude” to MacPhail. In one, at 8.15am, on the day she died she stated: “Apparently Logan is gonna meet me outside of school”, adding “so he’s basically stalking me at this point. He’s gonna follow me until I talk to him.”

Given what had happened the night before, when MacPhail travelled to Haltwhistle, Holly’s mother contacted the police about her concerns at 9.40am. Sadly, within hours, she had been murdered.

In an interview with the BBC, Micala said: “I think he would have killed her just so she couldn’t be with anybody else because it was all about control, obsession and passion. We need to realise now that young people are having relationships a lot younger. You can almost guarantee that Holly is not the only one in that situation.

“We spend a lot of time in schools talking about abuse at home, being abused by your parent or other family members, but there’s not really any discussion of being abused by a partner, being abused when you are in a relationship yourself.

“Certain levels of abuse are taken more seriously than others, like the controlling side of things, and is it stalking, constantly texting people and ringing?

“Holly was never physically abused, but she was definitely abused in other forms.”

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