Mother of girl, 15, stabbed to death by boyfriend calls for teenage domestic abuse law change

The mother of a 15-year-old girl stabbed to death by her boyfriend has called for the law to be changed to better protect young victims of domestic abuse.

Micala Trussler, the mother of Holly Newton, added schools need to be better at educating young people about what constitutes domestic abuse so they know “what is normal and what is not normal”.

Her daughter’s murderer Logan MacPhail received a life sentence with a minimum term of 17 years in prison at Newcastle Crown Court last week - with Judge Mr Justice Hilliard saying MacPhail intended to kill Holly in the “vicious and brutal” attack.

It comes as The Independent continues its Brick by Brick campaign, in partnership with the leading domestic abuse charity Refuge, to raise funds to build two houses for women escaping abusive partners. The initial £300,000 target has recently been reached thanks to generous donations from readers, with more than £500,000 of donations pouring in so far and plans already underway for the building of a second home.

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Home secretary Yvette Cooper told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme the murder of Holly is a “truly awful case” as she agreed to look at the age at which people can be considered domestic abuse victims.

Under current laws, the victim and the perpetrator must be over 16 for it to be deemed a crime of domestic abuse.

Ms Cooper, Labour MP for Pontefract, Castleford and Knottingley, said: “I have all sympathy with Holly’s family. I can’t imagine what they will have gone through.

“Of course, there is domestic abuse in teenage relationships. There is violence within teenage relationships, that we have seen increasing, and it really troubles me that we have seen it increasing. 

“Of course, we want to look at the ways we make sure that police properly record cases of violence against women and girls in the right way, but also that we take action against it, and that does include work in schools on teenage relationships - something which Bridget Phillipson is determined to do.”

Ms Cooper said the government will look into whether “we have got the right ways of recording this kind of violence in teenage relationships”, adding this is an “extremely important issue”.

Ms Trussler told the programme: “Young people are getting into relationships earlier and they need that support and they can’t access that support because in the eyes of the law they aren’t victims of domestic abuse unless they are over 16.”

MacPhail stalked Holly for almost an hour before perpetrating a brutal attack on her in Hexham in Northumberland in January last year - with Holly receiving 36 knife injuries.

Holly's stepfather, Lee Trussler, told the Today programme: “We rang the police to say, look at this business what is going on. He has been outside the house overnight. He is constantly messaging her.”

Ms Trussler called his behaviour “controlling”, adding: “He was ringing her multiple times a day. He was absolutely obsessed with her”.

She told the court MacPhail, who was 16 at the time of the murder but is now 17, was her daughter's “first and only boyfriend”.

MacPhail was also found guilty of intentionally wounding another young person who attempted to intervene to stop him from attacking her.

Sir Keir Starmer’s spokesperson added: “The prime minister’s thoughts remain with the family and friends of Holly Newton.

“The home secretary has said this is an extremely important issue which the government will consider, because we’ve seen violence in teenage relationships increasing in the last decade, and it’s very troubling.”

Abuse and violence suffered by women and girls is “nothing less than a national emergency, and the government has set out a mission to halt violence against women and girls within a decade”, the PM added.

The Labour leader previously gave his personal backing to The Independent’s Brick by Brick appeal after recalling the murder of a woman stabbed 71 times by her abusive ex-partner.

Lynsey Colling, deputy chief crown prosecutor for Crown Prosecution Service North East, said: “It is very clear from the evidence in this case that Logan MacPhail killed Holly Newton after being unable to accept that their relationship was over.”

Please donate now to the Brick by Brick campaign, launched by The Independent and charity Refuge, to help raise another £300,000 to build a second safe space for women where they can escape domestic abuse, rebuild their lives and make a new future. Text BRICK to 70560 to donate £15.

The national domestic abuse helpline offers support for women on 0808 2000 247, or you can visit the Refuge website. There is a dedicated men’s advice line on 0808 8010 327.