'Important' step as 'Holly's Law' raised at PMQs

The mother of a murdered teenager has described how important it was for her to hear her daughter's name, and the issues around her tragic death, raised in the House of Commons.

Holly Newton was repeatedly stabbed in an alley in Hexham, Northumberland, in January 2023 by her ex-boyfriend, Logan MacPhail, then aged 16.

Local MP, Labour's Joe Morris, used Prime Minister's Questions to ask Keir Starmer to look 'Holly's Law' - a campaign by Holly's mother, Micala Trusser, which would lower the age a person can be recognised as a victim of domestic abuse.

Ms Trusser said: "We've been pushing this for two years, and we'll just keep pushing until we get where we need to be."

MacPhail, from Birtley, in Gateshead, was detained for life with a minimum term of 17 years, with another five years to be served concurrently for intentionally wounding a youth who tried to break up the attack.

Judge Mr Justice Hilliard said he carried out the "vicious and brutal" stabbing fuelled by his "resentment and jealousy".

Ms Trussler believes her daughter was a domestic abuse victim, and is calling for better education for young people about healthy relationships.

Responding to Morris's question in the Commons on Wednesday, the prime minister acknowledged there had been "an increase in violence in teenage relationships" iin recent years.

He added: "We do need to look at this at the earliest opportunity, and I'm very grateful this tragic case has been raised."

According to the statutory definition. Holly Newton was too young to be classed as a victim of domestic violence, which means her death will be filed as a knife crime.

"There was so much coercive control; she was stalked by him - texts and phone calls up to 40 times a day," said Ms Trussler.

"I don't think she knew until right at the end that it was stalking because she hadn't had any education around it.

"There's been no homicide review, and no lessons have been learnt.

"I'm just hoping if Holly's Law comes into force, it will mean changes and will save other young people's lives."