The Holly Newton murder trial jury has been sent home for a second night having failed, yet, to reach verdicts.

A 17-year-old defendant stands accused of the murder of 15-year-old Holly in a multiple stabbing in an alleyway off Priestpopple, Hexham, having followed her for more than 45 minutes after she came out of school in the town, in Friday January 27, last year.

The defendant, who was aged 16 at the time, has admitted a charge of manslaughter, but denies having deliberately killed Holly as he claims his “mind went blank” and he has no memory of the fatal stabbing.

Newcastle Crown Court has heard that the defendant denied having “stalked” Holly, who was with two friends, prior to the killing and he said he only went to Hexham as he wanted to speak to her.

(Image: Northumbria Police)

But he claimed he had changed his mind and was going to return home until he passed her standing at a bus stop outside a pizza shop, in Priestpopple.

Holly, who knew the defendant, reluctantly agreed to speak to him down an alleyway next to the pizza shop.

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.

A 16-year-old boy who had been with Holly tried to go to her assistance, but he, too, was attacked by the defendant.

Passers-by and people from the pizza shop intervened and tried to go to Holly’s assistance.

(Image: The Northern Echo)

Despite the attention of ambulance paramedics called to the scene and medical staff at Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary, Holly, from Haltwhistle in Northumberland, died from her injuries later that evening.

Apart from the manslaughter admission, the defendant, who cannot be identified publicly, has also pleaded guilty to possessing a knife in public, but he denies Holly’s murder, plus unlawful wounding and wounding with intent relating to the other teenager stabbed during the incident.

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Following a trial which began in mid-July, the judge, Mr Justice Nicholas Hilliard, sent the jury out to begin its deliberations on Tuesday.

They returned to court today (Wednesday, August 28) to resume deliberations, but by 4.30pm were sent home again, having so far failed to reach verdicts.

The jury will reassemble at the court tomorrow (Thursday, August 29) to continue to try to reach verdicts.