Youth accused of murdering 15-year-old claims he cannot remember stabbing her

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A teenager accused of murdering a 15-year-old girl in a knife attack has told a jury he cannot remember stabbing her or a boy who came to her aid.

The youth was permitted to give evidence by video-link to his trial at Newcastle Crown Court, telling jurors he could recall getting off a bus on the day Holly Newton suffered 36 knife injuries.

The 17-year-old has admitted manslaughter, but denies murder on the grounds he did not intend to cause serious harm.

Holly was taken to the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle but could not be saved following the attack in Hexham, Northumberland, on January 27 last year.

Questioning the boy, who was 16 when Holly was killed, on Thursday, defence KC Nigel Edwards asked him who had stabbed Holly and the schoolboy, who suffered injuries to his shoulder, arm and thigh which required surgery.

The defendant, wearing a suit jacket, shirt and tie, answered “me” to both questions and went on to claim that he had travelled to Hexham intending to take his own life.

Asked if he remembered the stabbings happening, the youth responded “no” but said he remembered being in Hexham, getting off a bus, and “a bit” of walking through parts of the town.

After claiming he had been hit by family members with a belt, a slipper and shoes during his childhood, the boy said “horrible stuff” had been happening inside his head.

Mr Edwards asked him: “The night that Holly died, when you go to Hexham, what is it you want to do?”

The defendant replied: “It wasn’t for going there to hurt her or kill her, it wasn’t for that.”

Asked what he had wanted to happen that day, he added: “To try and take my own life.”

The prosecution allege that the boy followed Holly, who he knew, for 45 minutes around the town centre before he stabbed her.

The court has heard she had finished school and was walking around shops with friends.

Opening the prosecution case last month, David Brooke KC, said the defendant knew Holly, who lived in Haltwhistle and went to school in Hexham.

Holly and the teenager who was injured went to a pizza shop at around 4.45pm and the defendant waited at a bus stop outside, where he then asked to speak to her.

During more than a minute, the defendant inflicted 36 knife wounds on Holly, stabbing her 12 times, slashing her 19 times and causing five “defensive” injuries, jurors have heard.

The youth further denies causing wounding with intent on the boy and an alternative charge of wounding.