A teenager has been found guilty of murdering a 15-year-old girl in the street after following her for 45 minutes.

Holly Newton was left with 36 knife injuries after an attack in the Priestpopple area of Hexham, Northumberland, in January last year.

A 17-year-old boy, who cannot be named because of his age, admitted a charge of manslaughter but denied murder claiming his mind went blank that day and he had only intended to take his own life.

A 16-year-old boy who was with Holly at the time of the attack tried to help her and was also stabbed.

Image:
Holly Newton. Pic: PA

The 17-year-old, who was also found guilty of wounding with intent at Newcastle Crown Court, claimed he could not remember stabbing Holly, or the boy who came to her aid.

Holly was taken to the Royal Victoria Infirmary, in Newcastle, after the attack but could not be saved.

The 16-year-old boy, who was also taken to hospital, suffered injuries to his shoulder, arm, and thigh which needed surgery.

The knife appeared to have snapped in the attack. Pic: Northumbria Police
The knife appeared to have snapped in the attack. Pic: Northumbria Police
Image:
The knife appeared to have snapped in the attack. Pics: Northumbria Police

Holly’s mother had been so concerned that day that she contacted police about the defendant, who was known to her daughter. It was agreed Holly should not leave school if the youth was outside, jurors were told.

For around 45 minutes, he followed Holly around the town centre as she visited shops with friends before attacking her.

Holly had told a friend just hours before the stabbing that the youth was “basically stalking her”, jurors heard.

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The funeral cortege for Holly Newton leaves Hexham Abbey in February last year. Pic: PA
Image:
The funeral cortege for Holly Newton leaves Hexham Abbey in February last year. Pic: PA

When Holly and the 16-year-old boy she was with went into a pizza shop, the defendant waited outside at a bus stop, where he asked to speak to her, then lured her down an alleyway and attacked her with a knife he was carrying.

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In just over a minute, the defendant inflicted 36 knife wounds on Holly, stabbing her 12 times, slashing her 19 times, and causing five “defensive” injuries, jurors heard.

He also narrowly avoided killing the teenage boy who had been with Holly and who tried to step in to save her.

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‘Holly’s future was taken away from her’

The defendant, who has mental health issues and was watching proceedings from a secure unit via videolink, did not visibly react when the foreman gave guilty verdicts for the counts of murder and wounding with intent.

He will be sentenced during a two-day hearing at the same court on 31 October.

In an unusual step, the judge Mr Justice Hilliard invited Holly’s mother, Micala Trussler, to pay tribute to her daughter before the jury dispersed.

Mother’s tribute to ‘beautiful child’ who loved family, sport, animals and dancing

“Holly was a beautiful child. As my firstborn she was a clingy child and never left my side, we did everything together.

“She grew into a funny and happy teenager who would do anything for anyone.

“Looking back at the funny times with Holly makes me smile, she used to call an elbow an elly-bow and one minute would be an avid vegetarian then the next minute tucking into a McDonald’s burger laughing.

“There was nothing that Holly couldn’t do, she loved all types of sport and would give anything a go at least once.

“From a young age she fell in love with dancing, it gave her the opportunity to express herself and helped her self-confidence enormously, it genuinely made her feel fearless.

“Holly’s favourite place in the world was Alton Towers, she loved to go on the biggest roller coasters and thrived on the adrenaline rush and overcoming her fears while the rest of us were terrified, which she thought was hilarious.

“At school Holly was a quiet student who just got on with her work, there was never a bad report from her teachers.

“When Holly started at the Queen Elizabeth High School in Hexham, she felt like she belonged, she had such a small tight-knit group of friends who were always there for each other.

“Holly was passionate about her family; she hated upsetting people and would do anything to make people smile.

“She loved animals, her cat Maxi every morning would go to her bedroom door and meow until Holly got up to let him onto her bed.

“To this day Maxi still does this, however Holly isn’t there to open the door.”

Speaking outside the court, Chief Superintendent Sam Rennison of Northumbria Police said: “Holly was a very popular girl and is sorely missed by many.

“Our thoughts very much continue to be with her loved ones and friends following this devastating loss.

“I also want to pay tribute to the bravery of the boy who was attacked while coming to the aid of his friend.

“I would like to thank both families for their incredible strength and patience throughout this seven-week trial and we will continue to support them in any way we can.”