The family of 15-year-old Holly Newton, who was murdered by her ex-boyfriend, said her killer was “controlling” and want the crime to be classified as domestic violence.

A judge at Newcastle Crown Court lifted a reporting restriction on Wednesday (Oct 9) which had prevented the media from identifying Logan MacPhail, now aged 17, as the killer of Holly, or from saying they had previously been in a relationship.

At the time aged 16, he stalked Holly around Hexham town centre, before stabbing and slashing her 36 times in an alleyway, on January 27, last year.

During his trial, the court heard he was jealous and could not accept that their 18-month relationship was over.

(Image: BBC) Holly’s mother, Micala Trussler, told the BBC that when she received a phone call saying her daughter had been attacked, she immediately knew the culprit was MacPhail.

She said: “He didn’t like her having other friends

“He didn’t like her going out without him.

“He needed to know where she was all the time.

“He was ringing her so many times throughout the day.

“She wanted to have her friends over and he didn’t agree with that.

“It was all just control.

“Everything was control and when he couldn’t control, then there was an issue.”

The night before the fatal attack, in January 2023, MacPhail travelled more than 40 miles from his home in Gateshead to Holly’s house, in Haltwhistle, Northumberland, trying to get in, claiming he wanted a computer game console back, and hung around for hours.

(Image: Northumbria Police) Mrs Trussler was concerned enough to contact the police and arranged to speak to an officer about MacPhail’s behaviour the following afternoon, but Holly persuaded her mother to put it off so she could meet friends.

It was to be that afternoon that MacPhail carried out her murder.

Holly’s stepfather, Lee Trussler, said: “One thing that I would like to see is the domestic violence age reduced where it can be classed as a crime, especially with children getting into relationships younger.”

Her mother added: “Because he’s 16, he’s at the age where he can be in an abusive relationship but because she was only 15, it goes down as knife crime, so it goes in that category which I don’t personally think it should sit.

“The only connection it’s got is that fact he’s killed her with a knife but, in all honesty, I think he would have killed her with anything just so she couldn’t be with anyone else, because it was all about control, obsession and passion.”(Image: Northumbria Police)

MacPhail was convicted of murder, as well as wounding with intent on a teenager who stepped in to try to stop him, following a trial in August and he will be sentenced at the end of this month.

Lifting the reporting restriction, yesterday, Mr Justice Nicholas Hilliard said: “There is great public concern about murders by young people who have carried knives in public places and about violence to women and girls.

(Image: Middle Temple Bar) “Legitimate debate is assisted by knowing who has committed such offences and their circumstances and the full detail of the offences in question.

“In my judgment, on the specific facts of this case, there are very strong reasons why in the interests of open justice, the public should now have a full and proper understanding of such a serious crime and all of the circumstances in which it was committed.”

See more court stories from The Northern Echo by clicking here

Judge rules Holly Newton's killer be named 'in public interest'

Logan MacPhail of Birtley named as Holly Newton's killer

Teenager found guilty of murdering Holly Newton in Hexham

Flash Sale Alert! 🌟 Dive deeper into the stories that shape County Durham with The Northern Echo Unlimited local news, an ad-free app, and a digital replica of our print edition—all with 80% fewer ads on our site. Subscribe now for a faster news experience. #StayInformed. For details, click here

MacPhail, who met Holly when they both attended Army cadets, in Consett, claimed he never planned to attack her, but wanted to use the knife to kill himself.

He has autism and a low IQ and his defence team made applications for him not to stand trial on the basis that he could not understand the legal process but, after several hearings, he was deemed well enough.

MacPhail denied murder but admitted manslaughter, claiming he blacked out.