Mother of murdered Hexham schoolgirl Holly Newton addresses court

Micala Trussler was speaking as part of the sentencing exercise for Logan MacPhail, Holly’s former boyfriend, who was convicted of her murder after a trial at Newcastle Crown Court in August.

The grieving mother of 15-year-old Holly also told the court she was unable to touch her daughter in hospital because “my daughter was a crime scene”.

Mrs Trussler, a mother-of-four, said she raced to the scene of the Friday tea-time attack and was frightened of what she would find, only to be met with a more horrific scenario than she had imagined.

“The enormity and severity cannot be put into words,” she said.

“I was stopped from seeing my daughter in the alleyway and the ambulance due to the horrifying condition she was in.

“My daughter died not knowing her mam was by her side.

“Once at hospital, I was unable to even touch my daughter, hug her, kiss her or hold her hand.

“My daughter was a crime scene, she was evidence,” she said.

The trial judge, Mr Justice Nicholas Hilliard, is hearing submissions over the sentence he passes on the defendant, now aged 17, who was 16 at the time of the fatal knife attack in Hexham, late on the afternoon of January 27 last year.

During the trial the court heard that Holly and MacPhail, who met when both attended the Army cadets, in Consett, had been boyfriend/girlfriend until the week or so before the killing.

(Image: Northumbria Police/North News) But the court was told MacPhail, who has ADHD and some learning difficulties, struggled to accept the relationship was over and travelled more than 40 miles from his home in Birtley, near Gateshead, to Haltwhistle, Northumberland, where Holly’s family lived, hoping to speak to her the previous evening.

It was only when police arrived, having been alerted by MacPhail’s mother, that he was driven home.

The following day he left school in Gateshead early and took a bus to Hexham, where, with part of his face covered, he followed Holly and two of her friends, after they left their school in the town.

Having crossed paths at a bus stop, in Priestpopple, he spoke to Holly for about quarter-of-an-hour before persuading her to join him down an alleyway, where the fatal attack took place.

(Image: CPS/PA) The court heard he stabbed her at least 20 times causing 36 injuries, within the following minute.

A male friend of Holly, also aged 16 at the time, tried to go to her aid but was attacked himself by MacPhail.

It only when other members of the public then also went down the alleyway that the attack ended and MacPhail was disarmed.

Despite the efforts of medical staff at the scene, and in an ambulance, Holly was declared dead shortly after arrival at hospital.

Although he claimed he took the knife with him intending to harm himself that day and then his mind went “blank” when he went down the alleyway with Holly, the trial jury convicted him of both her murder and wounding the other 16-year-old with intent.

He had already admitted possessing a bladed article.

(Image: Northumbria Police) Addressing the sentencing hearing, Holly’s mother, Micala Trussler, described her daughter as, “caring, funny, energetic and, at times, outspoken.”

She said the rest of the family had, “struggled to adjust” to her loss.

(Image: BBC) Ms Trussler described her daughter’s relationship with MacPhail as a “typical teenage relationship” with its, "ups and downs", but she said when Holly matured and decided to end it, the defendant could not accept it.

She said but for her daughter’s age at the time, (15), it was a, “classic case of domestic abuse” as MacPhail had become “obsessed” with her.

Ms Trussler said when he left home on the day of the killing he had a knife in his pocket, which she described as, “my daughter’s murder weapon”.

She said, “he knew exactly what he was doing” when he went to Hexham on the afternoon of the attack and that his “whole focus was to find Holly.”

Ms Trussler, who sat through the entire trial, said: “The only time Leighton has spoken the truth was when he admitted that he hurt Holly out of anger because she had not been nice to him.”

She said: “He (MacPhail) undoubtedly has issues but is more capable than he’s given credit for.”

Ms Trussler said too many allowances, to the point of becoming “farcical”, have been made for him during the court process.

She added that Holly was, “growing into a beautiful woman” but life was ended far too soon, “by MacPhail’s, “mindless selfish actions.”

(Image: Northumbria Police) Respective counsel in the case, David Brooke KC for the prosecution, and Nigel Edwards KC for MacPhail, gave submissions as to the sentence in the case, which due to the defendant’s age at the time will be one of “detention at His Majesty’s pleasure”, with the only question being the recommended time he serves.

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The prosecution said as a killing in which the perpetrator went armed with a knife, the starting point should be 17 years, for someone aged 16 at the time.

Defence submissions suggested ten years might be more suitable as the starting point, but with additions, through aggravating circumstances in the case, it might take it higher.

Mr Justice Hilliard told MacPhail, who observed proceedings via video link from a secure unit in County Durham, that he would like him to be present in court for tomorrow’s (Friday, November 1) sentencing hearing.