The jury will return to court tomorrow (Wed Aug 28) to continue its deliberations in the trial of a teenager accused of the murder of a girl stabbed to death in a town centre alleyway.

Holly Newton, 15, was followed around Hexham for about 45 minutes by the defendant after leaving school in the town, with two friends, on Friday, January 27, last year.

Newcastle Crown Court has heard that the pair crossed paths at a bus stop outside a pizza shop, in Priestpopple, when Holly, who knew the defendant, reluctantly agreed to speak to him down an alleyway.

The court was told that in the next minute she suffered 36 knife injuries in a frenzied attack by the defendant, 12 of them stab wounds.

(Image: Northumbria Police/North News)

A 16-year-old boy who had been with her that afternoon tried to intervene, but he, too, was allegedly attacked by the defendant.

Passers-by and people from the pizza shop intervened and ushered the defendant from the alley.

Holly, from Haltwhistle in Northumberland, was taken to the Royal Victoria Infirmary, in Newcastle, from where she died from her injuries later that evening.

The defendant, who was then aged 16, but who is now 17, denies Holly’s murder.

(Image: The Northern Echo)

He admits manslaughter, accepting he must have inflicted the fatal wounds, but on the grounds his mind when blank when he did so and has no memory of the stabbing.

Due to his age he cannot be publicly identified.

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The defendant also admits possessing a knife in public, but he denies unlawful wounding and wounding with intent relating to the other teenager stabbed during the incident.

Following a trial which began in mid-July, the judge, Mr Justice Nicholas Hilliard sent the jury out to begin its deliberations earlier today (Tuesday August 27).

But by late afternoon he recalled them into court and told them to go home for the evening and to return to continue deliberations tomorrow (Wed Aug 28).