Teenager accused of murdering 15-year-old girl in knife attack tells court he cannot remember stabbing her
1 August 2024, 17:37
A teenager accused of murdering a 15-year-old girl in a knife attack has told a jury he cannot remember stabbing her or a boy who came to her aid.
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Holly Newton was taken to the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle but could not be saved after suffering 36 knife injuries in the attack in Hexham, Northumberland, in January last year.
A 16-year-old boy, who was also taken to hospital, suffered injuries to his shoulder, arm and thigh which needed surgery.
The youth was permitted to give evidence by video-link to his trial at Newcastle Crown Court, as he told jurors he could not recall the stabbings.
The 17-year-old has admitted manslaughter, but denies murder on the grounds he did not intend to cause serious harm.
Defence KC Nigel Edwards asked the teenager, who was 16 when Holly was killed, who had stabbed Holly and the schoolboy who came to her aid.
The defendant answered "me" to both questions before claiming that he had travelled to Hexham intending to take his own life.
Asked if he remembered the stabbings happening, the youth responded "no" but said he remembered being in Hexham, getting off a bus, and "a bit" of walking through parts of the town.
After claiming he had been hit by family members with a belt, a slipper and shoes during his childhood, the boy said "horrible stuff" had been happening inside his head.
Mr Edwards asked him: "The night that Holly died, when you go to Hexham, what is it you want to do?"
The defendant replied: "It wasn't for going there to hurt her or kill her, it wasn't for that."
Asked what he had wanted to happen that day, he added: "To try and take my own life."
The prosecution allege that the boy followed Holly, who he knew, for 45 minutes around the town centre before he stabbed her.
The court has heard she had finished school and was walking around shops with friends.
Opening the prosecution case last month, David Brooke KC, said the defendant knew Holly, who lived in Haltwhistle and went to school in Hexham.
Holly and the teenager who was injured went to a pizza shop at around 4.45pm and the defendant waited at a bus stop outside, where he then asked to speak to her.
During more than a minute, the defendant inflicted 36 knife wounds on Holly, stabbing her 12 times, slashing her 19 times and causing five "defensive" injuries, jurors have heard.
The youth further denies causing wounding with intent on the boy and an alternative charge of wounding.
