Haltwhistle girl complained that killer followed her before attack

A 15-year-old girl complained in a murder trial that a boy “stalked” her for hours before killing her.

Holly Newton was stabbed multiple times in an alley in Hexham town centre in January 2023, Newcastle Crown Court heard.

A 17-year-old boy, who was 16 at the time and cannot be identified, has admitted manslaughter but denies murder.

The court heard that Holly’s mother also contacted police on the morning of her death to express her concerns.

Jurors heard that the boy, who Holly knew, was “careful not to be seen” as he followed her around Hexham for about 45 minutes before attacking her at around 17:00 GMT on January 27.

In the second part of his opening statement, prosecutor David Brooke KC said the boy had come uninvited to Holly’s house in Haltwhistle the previous evening and had hung around there for “two or three hours” before police took him home.

On the morning of Jan. 27, Holly was “extremely nervous” that the boy might show up at her school and wrote in a message to a friend that he was “basically stalking her,” Brooke said.

The court heard that Holly’s mother was alarmed by his behaviour the previous night and contacted police at around 9.40am to express her concern about him.

It was not revealed in court what action the police took, but jurors heard that the school was informed and that an agreement was reached with them that Holly would not be allowed to leave school if the boy was seen nearby.

While he was away, Holly went out with friends to Hexham that afternoon, but the boy followed her before confronting her next to a pizza restaurant, the court heard.

He stabbed her several times before passers-by dragged him away, the court heard.

The boy admits that he killed Holly, but says his head was “empty” at the time.

He also denies harming another teenager who was injured while trying to rescue Holly.