Teenager convicted of murder of Holly Newton in Hexham

A teenager has been convicted of murdering 15-year-old Holly Newton in Hexham.

He was also found guilty of grievous bodily harm with intent against a then 16-year-old boy as part of the targeted attack last year.

Shortly after 5.10pm on Friday, January 27, police were called to a serious assault of a boy and girl in the Priestpopple area of the town centre.

Emergency services attended and found them in a nearby alleyway with several stab wounds.

They were both rushed to hospital for treatment, with Holly in a critical condition.

Despite the efforts of medical staff, tragically Holly, who was from the Haltwhistle area, passed away as a result of her injuries.

The boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, remained in hospital for treatment and was later discharged.

Officers swiftly detained another boy – then 16 – at the scene of the crime following the attack.

As part of the subsequent investigation detectives trawled nearby CCTV footage and spoke to a number of witnesses.

This led them to discover the masked defendant had been following the pair – who were unaware of his presence – as they walked through Hexham.

The offender was armed with a kitchen knife concealed in his trouser leg, and frequently stopped to hide and make fake phone calls in a bid to stay out of sight.

As the pair visited a takeaway on the town’s high street, he has then approached Holly and asked her to speak with him in a nearby alleyway.

After a brief conversation, the offender has then launched a violent attack on Holly, stabbing her multiple times.

When her friend heard Holly cry out, he left the shop and intervened, before he was also stabbed in the shoulder and leg.

The individual was subsequently charged overnight with Holly’s murder.

The now 17-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had previously admitted manslaughter and possession of a bladed article.

However, he denied murder and grievous bodily harm with intent and has been on trial for the more than six-weeks at Newcastle Crown Court.

Today (Thursday), a jury convicted him of both charges. He was remanded in custody and is due to be sentenced at the same court on October 31 and November 1.

Area Commander for Northumberland, Chief Superintendent Sam Rennison, of Northumbria Police, said:

This is a truly tragic case in which a 15-year-old girl – with so much to look forward to in life – has had her future taken away.

It is clear that Holly was a very popular girl and is sorely missed by so many.

Our thoughts very much continue to be with her loved ones and friends following their 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.

We will continue to support both families in any way we can. 

I also recognise the impact the tragic events of that evening have had on the close-knit community of Hexham and further afield.

As a community, we came together, and I would like to thank everyone who provided information for our investigation and those who shared kind words of support for the families involved.

The investigation team have worked tirelessly to bring the person responsible to justice.

Thanks to their hard work and dedication, as well as continued support from the local community, the weight of evidence against the offender was so overwhelming that a jury has found him guilty of all charges

His life and those of his loved one have also been changed forever by the decisions he made that night.

Violence has absolutely no place in society – and as a Force we are committed to working with our partners to tackle such offending.

However, each and every one of us has a role to play – and we must all come together to help prevent violence and knife crime. 

This includes continuing to educate our young people and talking to them about the pain and suffering caused by violence.

Anyone who has information about someone carrying a weapon should contact us by sending a direct message via social media, or by using the live chat function and report forms on our website.

Those who are unable to make contact in this way can call 101.

In an emergency always dial 999. People can also share information anonymously through the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.