THE obsessed teen who stalked and murdered schoolgirl Holly Newton has been unmasked for the first time as her ex-boyfriend.
Logan MacPhail, 17, stabbed the 15-year-old 36 times in a darkened alley just days after she dumped him.
He was consumed by jealousy when she ended their 18-month relationship and followed her for 45 minutes before attacking her with a kitchen knife.
MacPhail was convicted of murder in August but could not be identified due to his age.
A judge has now ruled he can be named and photographed meaning that details of their “toxic” relationship can finally be revealed.
The twisted teen will be sentenced later this month when he will be given a life term for killing Holly on January 27 last year.
The pair met three years earlier when they both attended Army Cadets in Consett, Co Durham.
They grew closer and after around 18 months began dating.
But MacPhail was a troubled youth who had autism and educational needs and attended a special school in Gateshead.
Friends said the couple would argue often and had broken up on a number of occasions.
They always got back together but on Saturday, January 21 – six days before Holly died – she ended it for the final time.
The jury at MacPhail’s trial heard that he struggled to accept it was finally over.
Prosecutor David Brooke KC told Newcastle crown court: “Logan MacPhail was struggling to come to terms with the break-up.
“It is clear he was very unhappy about it.”
On the Thursday of that week the then 16-year-old left his house telling his mum he was going to the shops.
Instead he travelled to Holly’s home in Haltwhistle, Northumberland, saying he wanted to get his possessions including a PlayStation back, but her mum would not let him in.
Meanwhile, his mother had alerted police when he failed to return from his shopping trip. Officers found him in Haltwhistle in the early hours of Friday and took him home.
Later that day he was sent home from school after telling teachers he was tired.
But instead of going back to his house in Gateshead he caught two buses to Hexham, Northumberland, where Holly attended school.
He had pestered her friends to try and “trick” Holly into meeting him, leaving her “extremely nervous”, the court heard.
She messaged pals: “He’s basically stalking me at this point. He’s gonna follow me until I talk to him.”
Holly’s worried mum contacted the police who spoke to staff at Queen Elizabeth High School.
It was arranged that she would not leave school at the end of the day if he was hanging around.
But the coast appeared clear so she walked into Hexham town centre with two friends at 3.20pm.
Around 4pm, MacPhail spotted the group and followed them, making sure he was not seen.
Haunting CCTV footage played to court showed him staring at her outside a pizza takeaway.
Moments later, at 4.45pm, he approached Holly.
Mr Brooke said: “Holly was not at all happy about seeing him. Eventually she agreed to speak to him in an alley. What Holly didn’t know was that he had brought a knife with him.”
Passers-by then heard screams as MacPhail repeatedly stabbed Holly in the alley.
A boy she was with and two brave locals leapt to her aid, but she died in hospital from her injuries.
MacPhail turns 18 in December when the ban on identifying him imposed at his trial would have lapsed.
But the judge has now agreed for it to be lifted early after a challenge from the media.
He said: “The defendant has been convicted of grave crimes which are of local and national concern.
“However, the public are not aware of a key factor in the case which is the nature of the relationship.
“They had been in a relationship but she did not wish it to continue. It is impossible to have a full and proper understanding of the case and of why the defendant behaved as he did without knowing this factor.
“There is great public concern about murders by young people who have carried knives in public places and about violence to women and girls.
“Legitimate debate is assisted by knowing who has committed such offences and their circumstances and the full detail of the offences.
“The public should now have a full and proper understanding of such a serious crime and of all the circumstances in which it was committed.”
The boy also suffered a number of stab wounds but survived.
MacPhail admitted stabbing Holly but denied her murder, claiming his mind went blank moments before the attack.
The jury dismissed his explanation and convicted him of murder at the end of August. They also convicted him of wounding the boy with intent.
At the end of the case Holly’s mum Micala Trussler said: “Holly was a beautiful child. She grew into a funny and happy teen.
“There was nothing Holly couldn’t do. She loved all types of sport and she would give anything a go at least once.
“From being a young child she fell in love with dancing. It gave her an opportunity to express herself and helped her self-confidence.”
