Mother of murdered teen Holly Newton talks on BBC Breakfast
Holly, 15, was killed in a “vicious and brutal” attack by her ex-boyfriend Logan MacPhail in January 2023, who was jailed for life with a minimum term of 17 years last month.
Since then, Holly’s mother Micala Trussler has been teaching “life-saving lessons” in the school her daughter attended as she continues to campaign for a change in the law so that under-16s can be considered victims of domestic abuse.
At the moment, the law requires both the abuser and the victim to be over 16.
This morning (December 4), Micala spoke to BBC Breakfast about domestic violence, after a new survey from the Youth Endowment Fund (YEF) found that, of the teens surveyed this year, nearly half (49%) have experienced violent or controlling behaviours from their partner.
Micala told BBC Breakfast: “It wasn’t until after Holly was murdered, that we knew the full extent of how abused she was being.
“It’s heartbreaking, to be honest to know there’s so many children out there experiencing this.
“My biggest fear is if children can’t access the support that they need that they’re then going to end up in the same position as Holly and potentially be murdered by their boyfriends.”
Lee Trussler, Holly’s step-dad, added: “At the minute, the law states that they can’t be recognised, so all the different charities and places to get advice and help won’t touch them.”
Micala continued: “I think if Holly had been educated about domestic abuse in school and known more about what the red flags were in a relationship, not just in hers, but in a relationship in general.
“I think she could have gone and sought help earlier. More lives will be lost if that law is not changed as soon as possible.”
As previously reported, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme last month that she would look at laws on domestic violence following the tragic case.
She said: “This is a really serious issue, and I have all sympathy with Holly’s family. I can’t imagine what they will have gone through. This was a truly awful case.
“Of course, there is domestic abuse in teenage relationships. There is violence within teenage relationships that we have seen increasing, and it really troubles me that we have seen it increasing.”
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Asked about calls from Holly’s parents to change the law so that under-16s can be considered victims of domestic abuse, Ms Cooper added: “We will particularly, 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.”
If you are concerned about your own or a loved one’s relationship, we would encourage you to speak to someone you trust and, where appropriate, report to the most appropriate agency.
If you have immediate concerns that you or someone else might be at risk or in danger, please contact police immediately by calling 999.