Holly Newton Obituary, – A 17-year-old male has been found guilty of murdering a 15-year-old girl after stalking her in the street.
Holly Newton sustained 36 injuries during the assault that occurred in an alley in Hexham, Northumberland, in January 2023, perpetrated by the boy, who was known to her. The assailant, who was 16 at the time and cannot be named due to his age, also attacked a boy until he was restrained by bystanders.
Holly’s mother, Micala Trussler, had expressed her concerns to the police that morning regarding the boy, leading to an agreement that Holly should remain at school if the youth was present outside, as presented to jurors at Newcastle Crown Court.
The defendant, who has mental health challenges, pleaded guilty to manslaughter but denied the murder charge, asserting that he had a mental lapse that day and intended only to take his own life.
The prosecution detailed that he had followed Holly for approximately 45 minutes in the town center while she was shopping with friends after school. Holly had informed a friend just hours prior to the stabbing that the youth was “essentially stalking her,” as jurors were informed.
Upon encountering her outside a pizza establishment, the boy requested a conversation, lured her into an alley, and subsequently attacked her with a knife he possessed. The defendant also narrowly avoided fatally injuring the teenage boy accompanying Holly that day, who attempted to intervene.
Jurors began their deliberations on Tuesday, and Mr. Justice Hilliard expressed gratitude to the panel for their thorough consideration. He is scheduled to impose a sentence on the teenager on 31 October and 1 November.
The defendant, observing the proceedings from a secure facility via videolink, did not show any visible reaction when the foreman announced the guilty verdicts for murder and wounding with intent.
In a rare move, the judge allowed Ms. Trussler to honor Holly before the jury was dismissed, providing them with a clearer understanding of the type of person she was. Mr. Justice Hilliard remarked: “The emphasis during this trial has been on the defendant, and you have only…
