‘Jealous’ ex-boyfriend detained for life
Family handout
Holly Newton was a funny and energetic girl, her family said
A “jealous” teenager who stabbed his 15-year-old ex-girlfriend to death has been detained for at least 17 years.
Logan MacPhail stalked Holly Newton for almost an hour before he launched a ferocious attack on her in Hexham, Northumberland, in January 2023.
MacPhail, then aged 16 and now 17, had admitted manslaughter but was found guilty of murdering Holly and intentionally wounding another youth who tried to stop the attack.
Handing down a life sentence with a minimum term at Newcastle Crown Court, Judge Mr Justice Hilliard said MacPhail was “filled with resentment” and intended to kill Holly in the “vicious and brutal” attack.
Northumbria Police
Logan MacPhail was found guilty of murdering Holly Newton
The young couple had been together for 18 months after meeting at army cadets.
Holly’s mother Micala Trussler previously told the court it had been a “typical teenage relationship” with “mild-mannered” MacPhail being her “funny and energetic” daughter’s “first and only boyfriend”.
She also said “red flags” about his controlling behaviour were not recognised until it was too late and she had not realised the “emotional turmoil” Holly was being put through when trying to break up with MacPhail.
Ms Trussler said Holly was a “caring and thoughtful young lady” and the family had been robbed of the chance to see her grow into a “beautiful woman”.
Family handout
Micala Trussler said her daughter Holly was caring and thoughtful
In the days before the killing, Holly had ended their relationship, with MacPhail later admitting in court he was “angry” and “jealous”.
MacPhail turned up uninvited outside her house in Haltwhistle on the night of 26 January and had to be taken back to his home in Birtley by police.
Watch the moment Logan MacPhail was arrested
The following day, with a kitchen knife in his backpack, he left his school in Gateshead early and got the bus to Hexham, where he waited for Holly to head into town.
Dressed all in black with a black face mask and baseball cap concealing his identity, MacPhail followed Holly and her friends as they visited a leisure centre and shops for about 45 minutes.
Northumbria Police
MacPhail (in the red box) was seen on CCTV following Holly (in the yellow frame) through Hexham
He waited until she was alone at a bus stop before confronting her, then lured her into a nearby alley where he launched a ferocious minute-long attack.
Holly had 36 knife injuries, the blade snapping in the melee, and another boy who tried to pull MacPhail away was stabbed.
The attack ended when several passers-by intervened, with MacPhail telling them Holly had been “horrible” to him.
Mr Justice Hilliard, who previously lifted restrictions to allow the identity of MacPhail to be reported, said the “vicious and brutal” attack was motivated by “resentment and jealousy”.
He said MacPhail took the knife with him so if Holly refused his demands to resume their relationship, he could “frighten” and “pressure” her by pulling the blade out and saying he would cut himself if she did not relent.
Once MacPhail realised Holly would not change her mind, he decided to lure her into the alley with the express purpose of killing her in an area where people were less likely to see and intervene, the judge said.
CCTV shows killer following Holly Newton before stabbing
He said Holly was “screaming” throughout the attack and “must have realised she was fighting for her life”.
She had 12 stab injuries, five defensive wounds on her hands and 19 other knife wounds, the judge said.
“Stabbing her head was a terrible thing to do,” the judge told MacPhail, adding Ms Trussler was stopped from seeing her daughter due to the “horrifying condition” Holly was in.
He dismissed defence claims about MacPhail’s low IQ and learning disabilities, adding the teenager intended to kill Holly and “knew how final death was”.
Mr Justice Hilliard said Holly was a “beautiful child” who grew into a “happy and funny teenager who would do anything for anyone”.
He said the value of her life was “beyond measure”.
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