Northumbria Police referred itself to watchdog IOPC after murder of Hexham schoolgirl Holly Newton
Northumbria Police referred itself to the police watchdog following the murder of teenager Holly Newton.
The 15-year-old died after she was repeatedly stabbed by her ex-boyfriend Logan MacPhail in an alleyway in Hexham, Northumberland. He was found guilty of murder by a jury at Newcastle Crown Court in August.
During MacPhail's trial, the court was told that before Holly was killed her mum, Micala Trussler, contacted police to report her concerns about MacPhail's behaviour.
In an interview with the BBC, Ms Trussler revealed she was concerned enough to contact the police and arranged to speak to an officer about MacPhail’s behaviour the next afternoon.
But Holly, from Haltwhistle, in Northumberland, persuaded her mother to put it off so she could meet friends. That same afternoon, MacPhail stabbed her to death.
In the aftermath of Holly's murder, Northumbria Police referred itself to the Independent Office For Police Conduct (IOPC), something which is standard practice when someone dies or is seriously injured following police contact.
However, after the referral was assessed it was deemed that no investigation was required.
During the trial, jurors at Newcastle Crown Court heard that MacPhail, of Birtley, Gateshead, had taken it badly when his 18-month relationship with Holly came to an end. On the day of the murder, he left school early and travelled from Gateshead to Hexham.
The court heard how the then 16-year-old approached Holly outside a pizza shop where a boy she had been with was ordering food.
Holly, unaware that her ex was carrying a knife, agreed to speak to him in an alleyway next to the takeaway, which is where MacPhail launched his frenzied attack.
A boy who went to Holly’s aid also suffered knife injuries and passers-by and people from the shop went to stop MacPhail, who was pulled off Holly while still stabbing her.
The court heard MacPhail attended Cedar College, Gateshead, a special school. He was described as having autism and special educational needs. He met Holly through attending Army cadets in Consett and they were in a relationship for 18 months.
Holly’s friend described the relationship as "toxic" and said they would frequently argue. The court heard it turned out MacPhail had travelled close to where Holly lived the night before he killed her. Police received a report he was missing from home and “feeling down” after breaking up with his girlfriend.
Further information was received by police through MacPhail’s mother that he was in a park in Haltwhistle waiting to get his possessions back from Holly. Officers found him and took him home.
Phone messages showed MacPhail wanted to get his PlayStation back by meeting Holly at Haltwhistle park. She replied but refused to meet him in Haltwhistle and said that she could meet him in Hexham the following day after school. She later sent messages to someone saying she was worried in case “he follows us and it all kicks off”.
The court heard messages recovered from Holly’s phone “show her attitude” to MacPhail. In one, at 8.15am, on the day she died she stated: “Apparently Logan is gonna meet me outside of school”, adding “so he’s basically stalking me at this point. He’s gonna follow me until I talk to him”.
The identity of 17-year-old McPhail became public earlier this month after a judge lifted a reporting restriction, preventing the media from naming him, in the interest of open justice.
He is due to be sentenced next week.
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