Teen killer 'probably' hid from girl before attack

Holly Newton was killed in January 2023

A teenage boy accused of murdering a 15-year-old girl has told jurors he "probably" hid from her before attacking her.

Holly Newton told friends the boy was "stalking" her hours before he repeatedly stabbed her in an alleyway in Hexham in January 2023, Newcastle Crown Court has heard.

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

On his eighth day giving evidence, the boy said he she seemed "really annoyed" when she saw him walking towards her.

Jurors have heard Holly was attacked with a kitchen knife in an alleyway beside Pizza Pizza in Priestpopple at about 17:00 GMT on 27 January 2023.

Her killer, who had followed her for almost an hour, said his mind was "blank" at the time and he was trying to stab himself, not Holly, although he accepted he caused her 36 knife injuries during the minute-long attack.

Earlier that day, Holly complained the boy was stalking her and her mother had arranged a meeting with police for that night at their home in Haltwhistle to discuss her concerns.

The kitchen knife used by the killer broke during the stabbing

The boy, who has been diagnosed with autism, said he went to Hexham that day to see Holly, changed his mind while he was waiting in a park for her to finish school, then changed it again when he saw her by chance.

His face was concealed by a snood while he followed her as she visited a leisure centre and shops with friends, the court heard, with the boy then hiding in a shop doorway when she stopped outside Pizza Pizza, the court heard.

The boy said he used his phone to look round the corner and "peep" at Holly as she stood at the bus stop outside the takeaway, then went to walk by her to get to the bus station, but Holly recognised him and spoke to him.

Prosecutor David Brooke KC asked the boy if he hid in the shop doorway as he was "tracking" Holly and she stopped walking.

The boy initially said he was "not really sure" but later said: "It probably would have been yes".

He said when Holly saw him as he walked up to her, she asked what he was doing there and seemed "really annoyed" to see him.

The boy (in the red box) said he did not see a pedestrian crossing next to his hiding spot which he could have used to avoid walking by Holly (in the yellow frame)

The boy said he had not intended to talk to Holly until she recognised him.

Mr Brooke asked why the boy did not go another way or cross the road to avoid walking right past Holly, to which the boy replied he did not see a crossing.

Mr Brooke said there was a crossing directly next to the boy's hiding place, but the youth replied: "I suppose at the time I didn't actually pay attention."

The prosecutor said the first time Holly was alone that afternoon was when she was outside the pizza shop.

"Is that why you walked to Holly at that point?" Mr Brooke said.

"No," the boy replied.

He said Holly was "horrible" to him, but he "genuinely" could not remember much of what was said or what happened.

The youth also denies wounding another boy who was stabbed four times while trying to break up the attack on Holly.

The trial, which began more than three weeks ago, continues.