In a poignant tribute, the mother of Holly Newton, a 15-year-old girl tragically stabbed to death in Hexham, Northumberland last year, shared her grief in a courtroom as she described the devastating impact of her daughter’s loss.
Earlier today, a 17-year-old boy, whose identity remains protected due to his age, was found guilty of Holly’s murder following a trial at Newcastle Crown Court. Holly suffered 36 injuries in the brutal knife attack, which took place in an alleyway in January 2023. Despite efforts to save her, she later died in the hospital, told The Daily Mail.
After the guilty verdict was announced, Holly’s mother, Micala Trussler, delivered an emotional statement. “Holly was a beautiful child. She was my firstborn, a clingy child who never left my side,” she began. “She grew into a funny and happy teenager who would do anything for anyone. She fell in love with dancing; it gave her an opportunity to express herself and helped her self-confidence enormously. It genuinely made her feel fearless.”
Reflecting on Holly’s school years, Mrs. Trussler spoke of her daughter’s joy at attending Queen Elizabeth High School in Hexham, where she found a close-knit group of friends. “She felt like she belonged,” her mother said. “She would do anything to make people smile and had a deep love for animals, especially her pet cat, who still waits outside her bedroom door for her.”
In a heartbreaking detail, Mrs. Trussler added, “To this day, Maxi still does this, however, Holly isn’t there to open the door.”
Following Mrs. Trussler’s statement, trial judge Mrs. Justice Hilliard commented on the broader implications of the case: “It’s this kind of devastation knives leave in their wake when people carry them and use them.”
The court had earlier heard that Holly had confided in a friend just hours before the attack, saying that the youth was “basically stalking her.” The defendant, now 17, admitted to manslaughter but denied murder, claiming that his mind had gone blank and that he had only intended to take his own life.
Outside the courtroom, Mrs. Trussler expressed her gratitude to the jury for their role in bringing justice for Holly. “As a family, it has been extremely painful to sit through a lengthy trial and reach this point. To think Holly should have been collecting her GCSE exam results last week, but instead, our baby girl’s future was cruelly taken away from her.”
She continued, “No result will ever bring our beautiful girl back. We now respectfully ask that we are given the time and privacy to grieve as we come to terms with our devastating loss.”
Lynsey Colling, head of the Crown Court unit for CPS North East, added, “The killing of Holly Newton has been utterly devastating for her family, and our focus throughout this case has been to ensure that the person responsible was brought to justice.”
The 17-year-old will be sentenced during a two-day hearing at Newcastle Crown Court on October 31.