Teen who killed Holly Newton can be named - judge

Fifteen-year-old Holly Newton was murdered by her “jealous” ex-boyfriend, it can now be revealed.

Holly was repeatedly stabbed in an alleyway in Hexham, Northumberland, by Logan MacPhail in January 2023.

MacPhail, who was 16 at the time, had anonymity during his murder trial but ahead of sentencing, Judge Sir Nicholas Hilliard KC lifted reporting restrictions following an appeal by media groups, including the BBC.

Holly’s parents said their daughter’s killing should be classed as a domestic violence offence rather than a knife crime.

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MacPhail, now 17, had turned up uninvited at Holly’s home in Haltwhistle the night before the killing and stalked her through Hexham for almost an hour before he attacked.

The pair met at army cadets in Consett and were in an “on-and-off” relationship for 18 months, which ended days before the killing.

Holly’s family said he was controlling and prosecutors described the relationship as “toxic”.

Holly’s mother Micala Trussler had arranged a meeting with Northumbria Police to discuss her fears about him for the evening of 27 January, but Holly was killed hours before it could take place.

MacPhail left his school in Gateshead at lunchtime and took a bus to Hexham.

That morning, Holly told friends he was “basically stalking” her and feared he would be waiting outside her school, Queen Elizabeth High.

MacPhail messaged a friend of Holly’s, lying about where he was and asking her to “trick” Holly into meeting him.

After Holly left school with friends, MacPhail, wearing a cap and snood to conceal his face, tailed her round town for more than 45 minutes.

CCTV footage showed his pursuit before he confronted her at a bus stop outside Pizza Pizza, on Priestpopple, at about 17:00 GMT.

They spoke for several minutes before Holly followed him into an alley where he launched a vicious attack which several people tried to stop.

At his trial, he claimed he wanted to return some of Holly’s possessions – slippers, clothes and teddy bears – but he had none of these with him.

MacPhail initially told the murder trial his mind was “blank” during the attack and he was trying to kill himself with the knife, although the court heard he had no injuries.

He then admitted deliberately stabbing her, later retracting his confession.

Holly had 36 knife wounds to her head and body and died from catastrophic blood loss.

The 8cm (3in) blade of the kitchen knife broke during the attack.

Another youth who intervened was stabbed four times, with MacPhail also found guilty of his wounding.

The BBC applied for the reporting restriction, which was put in place because MacPhail was under 18, to be lifted.

Mr Justice Hilliard said MacPhail had been convicted of “grave crimes” which were of local and national concern” but the “key factor” of the killer’s relationship with Holly could not be reported during the trial “lest it might identify him”.

The judge said it was “impossible to have a full and proper understanding of the case and of why the defendant behaved as he did without knowing this factor”.

He said there was “great public concern” about young people carrying knives and “violence to women and girls” and legitimate debate was aided by the public knowing the “full detail of the offences”.

A two-day sentencing hearing is due to begin on 31 October.