‘Jealous’ ex-boyfriend jailed for life

A “jealous” teenager who stabbed his 15-year-old ex-girlfriend to death has been jailed for at least 17 years.

Logan MacPhail stalked Holly Newton for almost an hour before launching a vicious attack on her in Hexham, Northumberland, in January 2023.

MacPhail, then aged 16 and now 17, has pleaded guilty to manslaughter but was found guilty of killing Holly and deliberately injuring another youth who tried to stop the attack.

Imposing a life sentence with the minimum term at Newcastle Crown Court, Judge Mr Justice Hilliard said MacPhail was “filled with rage” and intended to kill Holly in a “vicious and brutal” attack.

The young couple have been together for 18 months after meeting in army cadets.

Holly’s mother Micala Trussler previously told the court had a “typical teenage relationship” with the “soft-spoken” MacPhail being the “funny and energetic” daughter’s “first and only boyfriend”.

He also said that “red flags” about his controlling behavior were not recognized until it was too late and that he was unaware of the “emotional turmoil” Holly went through when she tried to break up with MacPhail.

Ms Trussler said Holly was a “caring and thoughtful young woman” and the family had been robbed of the opportunity to see her grow into a “beautiful woman”.

In the days before the murder, Holly had ended their relationship, with MacPhail later admitting in court she was “angry” and “jealous”.

MacPhail was uninvited outside his home in Haltwhistle on the night of January 26 and had to be escorted back to his home in Birtley by police.

The next day, with a kitchen knife in his rucksack, he left school in Gateshead early and caught a bus to Hexham, where he waited for Holly to go into town.

Dressed in black with a black face mask and baseball cap hiding his identity, MacPhail followed Holly and her friends as they toured recreation centers and shops for 45 minutes.

He waited until she was alone at the bus stop before confronting her, then lured her into a nearby alley, where he launched a vicious attack.

Holly had 36 knife injuries, the blade snapped in the melee, and another boy who tried to pull MacPhail away was stabbed.

The attack ended when several passers-by intervened, with MacPhail telling her that Holly had been “terrible” to her.

Mr. Justice Hilliard, who restrictions were previously lifted to allow MacPhail’s identity to be reportedsaid the “vicious and brutal” attack was motivated by “revenge and jealousy”.

He said MacPhail took a knife with him so that if Holly refused the request to continue the relationship, he could “intimidate” and “force” her by pulling the knife out and saying he would cut himself if he refused.

After MacPhail realized that Holly would not change his mind, he decided to lure her into the alley with the real purpose of killing her in an area where people were less likely to see and intervene, the judge said.

He said Holly was “screaming” during the attack and “must have known she was fighting for her life”.

He had 12 stab wounds, five defensive wounds to his hands and another 19 knife wounds, the judge said.

“Stabbing her in the head was a horrible thing,” the judge told MacPhail, adding Ms Trussler was unable to see her daughter because of Holly’s “horrific condition”.

He rejected defense claims about MacPhail’s low IQ and learning disabilities, adding the teenager had intended to kill Holly and “knew how to die in the end”.

Mr Justice Hilliard said Holly was a “beautiful child” who had grown into a “happy, funny teenager who would do anything for anyone”.

He said the value of his life was “beyond measure”.