The murder of a schoolgirl who was stabbed to death by her ex-boyfriend has sparked plans to create a new law defining teenage abusive relationships.
asserted
who → stab → relationships
Holly Newton, 15, was killed after school in Hexham, Northumberland, in January 2023 by Logan MacPhail, now 19, who lured her into an alleyway before knifing her 36 times.
asserted
who → kill → her
He was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 17 years at Newcastle Crown Court in November 2024 for murdering the teenage girl.
asserted
He → sentence → girl
MacPhail, who was unhappy about their break-up, followed her through a Northumberland market town when she finished classes for the day before knifing her 36 times and stabbing a teenage boy who tried to stop the attack.
asserted
who → follow → attack
A court heard how MacPhail was 'filled with resentment and jealousy' after Holly broke up with him and launched the 'vicious' attack because she refused to consider getting back together.
asserted
she → hear → attack
MacPahil, who was 16 at the time, had been controlling throughout their relationship and then stalked Holly in the run-up to her death.
asserted
who → control → death
Her brutal murder was recorded by police as knife crime because the law does not recognise those under 16 as victims of domestic violence.
asserted
law → record → violence
Holly's mother and stepfather, Micala and Lee Trussler, have campaigned since her death for the introduction of 'Holly's law' – which would enable under 18s to be classed as victims of domestic abuse.
asserted
under → campaign → abuse
Holly Newton, 15, was stabbed to death in January 2023 in a vicious attack by her ex-boyfriend Logan MacPhail (then 16) after she ended their 18-month relationship
Holly's mother and stepfather, Micala and Lee Trussler, have campaigned since her death for the introduction of 'Holly's law'
asserted
mother → stab → law
The couple has now said that a standalone definition for abuse in teenage relationships would be even more effective than lowering the age classification.
asserted
definition → say → classification
Mrs Trussler told BBC News: 'I think a stand-alone definition is actually better than just lowering the age because it is actually giving teenagers better protection and also acknowledging teenage relationships can look a lot different to adult relationships.
asserted
relationships → tell → relationships
'We've definitely felt really proud that we've got here because we have campaigned for so long.
asserted
we → feel → ?
It's also quite emotional because we've still lost Holly.
asserted
we → lose → Holly
'But I do feel like they've [the government] taken Holly's story seriously and they've realised the failings in her case.
asserted
they → feel → case
And we're now helping other young people get the support they really, really need.'
asserted
they → help → support
The House of Lords select committee began a review into the Domestic Abuse Act in January.
asserted
committee → begin → January
During the review, they considered whether children like Holly should be considered victims.
asserted
children → consider → Holly
Following the review, the Government is now exploring a new definition for teenage relationship abuse.
asserted
Government → follow → abuse
The move to explore a new definition for teenage relationship abuse comes as a result of this review.
asserted
move → explore → review
Jealous ex-boyfriend Logan Macphail, now 18, was jailed for life with a minimum term of 17 years
MacPhail approached Holly while she waited at a bus stop outside a pizza shop, before luring her into a nearby alleyway
Chilling CCTV footage shows MacPhail, who was wearing a hat, arrive in Hexham on the afternoon of the killing and put on a face covering before following Holly (pictured) and her friends
MacPhail followed them undetected for 45 minutes while carrying a knife, before confronting Holly at a bus stop
Speaking after the trial, Mrs Trussler described how MacPhail became increasingly controlling and 'obsessed' with Holly.
She said: 'He was obsessed with her for a long time.
asserted
He → jail → time
He didn't like her to go out.
asserted
her → like → ?
'He didn't want her to go out with her friends.
asserted
her → want → friends
He needed to know where she was all the time, even if she was just at home.
asserted
she → need → home
He wanted to know what she was doing.
asserted
she → want → what
He changed her passwords on all of her social media, so she was quite upset about that, because she couldn't get into any of it.
asserted
she → change → it
The two teenagers, who met at Army Cadets and were together for around 18 months, briefly split up before Holly's death, but got back together partly because she 'felt sorry' for her killer, Mrs Trussler said.
asserted
Trussler → meet → killer
As well as autism, MacPhail also had a severe speech impediment and learning difficulties, and struggled to read and write.
asserted
MacPhail → have → impediment
After raising concerns with her mother over MacPhail's behaviour, Holly then split up with him for good, but her killer could not accept the relationship was over.
uncertain
relationship → raise → him
The evening before murdering Holly, MacPhail travelled 40 miles to her house and demanded to be let in, before spending hours lurking outside the property.
asserted
MacPhail → murder → property
The family were so concerned over his behaviour that they set up a meeting with police officers the next day for Holly and her parents to attend after school.
asserted
Holly → set → school
But in a heartbreaking twist of fate, Holly begged to be allowed to go into town with friends before the meeting and was murdered before she could ever attend it.
uncertain
she → beg → it
MacPhail had again travelled 40 miles to Hexham that day, and, unbeknownst to the schoolgirl, tailed her and her friends for 45 minutes before confronting Holly at a bus stop.
asserted
MacPhail → travel → stop
Having lured her into a nearby alleyway, he then stabbed Holly 36 times, and also attacked a male friend who had accompanied her when he tried to intervene.
asserted
he → lure → her
Members of the public were eventually able to pull MacPhail off the teenager, but so frenzied was his attack that he was still stabbing her at the time – with such force that the blade of the weapon had broken.
asserted
blade → pull → weapon
Mrs Trussler told how upon hearing of the attack, she rushed to the scene but was prevented from seeing her daughter.
asserted
she → tell → daughter
The knife used by Logan MacPhail in the murder of Holly Netwon
In a devastating victim impact statement in court, she said: 'I was stopped from seeing my daughter in the alleyway and the ambulance due to the horrifying condition she was in.
'The last time I saw my daughter was that morning, I never saw her with her eyes open again.
asserted
eyes → use → her
I never heard her last words.
asserted
I → hear → words
'My daughter died not knowing her mam was by her side.
asserted
mam → die → side
Once at hospital, I was unable to even touch my daughter, hug her, kiss her or hold her hand.
asserted
I → touch → hand
Although MacPhail openly admitted to arresting officers that he was responsible for killing Holly, lawyers appointed to him attempted to stop him from ever standing trial.
asserted
lawyers → admit → trial
…and 7 more, not listed.
The Aporia
