Court hears tragic Holly felt stalked by accused
TRAGIC Holly Newton was “nervous” about leaving school on the day she was stabbed to death, Newcastle Crown Court was told.
The 15-year-old was attacked by a teenage boy in an alleyway after complaining of feeling stalked by him.
The youth, 16 at the time and 17 now, has admitted manslaughter but denies murder.
The court heard evidence from a girl who said she had received messages from the defendant asking about Holly and suggesting he would go to Hexham to speak to her. She said she told him not to do that.
On the afternoon of the attack, the girl texted him to check he had not travelled to Hexham and he said he was in Newcastle.
Asked why she checked, she said: “Holly was nervous about going out (after school). He had said he was going to come to Hexham. He kept saying if he came to Hexham please don’t tell Holly. He didn’t give a reason.”
The girl, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, said she was with Holly when she met a boy and they walked around Hexham. She was then picked up and as she was driven past a pizza shop, she saw the boy standing outside.
She added: “In the alley I could see what looked like (the defendant’s) figure. Then I could see a really faint outline of what looked like Holly.”
The car she was in moved and she could not see in the alley any more but she then saw the other boy running into the alley and then Holly stopped texting her.
She later texted the boy and he said he was in an ambulance and told her: “Stabbed us”.
The court has heard the defendant had followed Holly around for 45 minutes before attacking her on Priestpopple, Hexham. Holly was left with 36 knife wounds during the attack on Friday January 27 last year.
The defendant has admitted manslaughter and having a bladed article but denies murdering Holly and wounding the other boy with intent when he went to Holly’s aid.
The trial continues.