Domestic abuse age looked at after Holly murder

The age that domestic abuse victims are recognised by law is to be looked at after the murder of 15-year-old Holly Newton, the home secretary has told the BBC.

The teenager was stalked and then stabbed to death by her ex-boyfriend Logan MacPhail in Hexham, Northumberland, last January.

Holly's mother, Micala Trussler, has been campaigning for the age a person can be legally recognised as a domestic abuse victim to be lowered.

Yvette Cooper told BBC Radio 4's Today programme it was an "extremely important issue" and that the government would "take seriously the points" Holly’s family had made.

Currently the abuser and the victim must be over 16 for it to be considered a domestic abuse crime.

"We will specifically look at this, because we need to make sure that we have got the right ways of recording this kind of violence in teenage relationships," Cooper said.

"I do think that this is an extremely important issue and we have to take seriously the points that they have made."

Holly Newton was stabbed to death by her ex-boyfriend after ending the relationship

The age limit used to be 18, but after a public consultation it was lowered in 2012 to recognise young people can experience abuse in relationships.

A government domestic abuse consultation in 2018 gained strong support for keeping the limit because of concerns the lines between domestic and child abuse could be blurred.

Samantha Neil, of the charity Harbour Support Services, which supports victims of domestic abuse, said a change in the law would be welcome.

"We see a high number of referrals that are coming to our service from young people from the age of 12 or over, who are already in relationships themselves which are abusive," she said.

"In terms of the law being 16 at the moment, it doesn't really do justice to our young people who are under that age."

Micala Tussler has called for "better education" on the issue of domestic abuse

MacPhail was detained for at least 17 years for Holly's murder on Friday at Newcastle Crown Court.

Her parents said no sentence would ever be enough to ease their pain.

Ms Tussler added that more needed to be done to educate people about domestic abuse.

"Children are getting into relationships much younger, they can be victims of domestic abuse," she said.

"We need more education, not just for children but for teachers and parents.

"We talk about safe relationships but often about being abused by family members, but don’t talk about when they [children] are in a relationship and looking out for red flags."

• 'Typical teenage relationship' ended in murder

• 'Jealous' ex detained for Holly Newton's murder

Logan MacPhail was found guilty of murder and jailed for at least 17 years

The young couple had been together for 18 months after meeting at army cadets.

MacPhail, then 16, stalked his victim for almost an hour before he launched the ferocious attack.

Now 17, he admitted manslaughter but was found guilty of murdering Holly and intentionally wounding another youth who tried to stop the attack.

Holly's step father, Lee Trussler, said: "I think if Holly had known what to look out for, the relationship would have ended a lot sooner than it did."

He urged young people to talk to and support each other.

"Don’t be afraid to tell parents what’s going on, or adult or your carers," he said.

"If you are afraid to say what’s going on, it could end up really bad.”

The family has also been raising money to install bleed boxes - to help deal with critical bleeds - in public areas.

Lee and Micala Tussler have been campaigning for changes to the law after Holly's murder

The home secretary added that she had sympathy for Holly's family and it was a "truly awful case".

The government has pledged to halve the amount of violence against girls and women within 10 years, Cooper added.