Holly Newton’s family say ministers plan new definition of teenage relationship abuse

The family of Holly Newton say ministers have outlined plans for a new legal definition of abusive teenage relationships, following their campaign for young people to receive better protection.

Holly was 15 when her former boyfriend, Logan MacPhail, stabbed her to death in Hexham, Northumberland, in January 2023. MacPhail, who was 16, had controlled and stalked her, the BBC reports.

Holly’s mother and stepfather, Micala and Lee Trussler, met safeguarding minister Satvir Kaur at the Home Office on Monday. They said the proposals could give teenagers support to leave abusive relationships safely.

The Domestic Abuse Act 2021 defines domestic abuse between people who are both at least 16. It also recognises children as victims if they see, hear or experience the effects of abuse between people to whom they are related. The government’s statutory guidance says abuse in teenage relationships can fall within the Act when both partners are 16 or older; abuse involving younger children is dealt with under child-protection procedures.

The Trusslers have campaigned for the law to recognise under-16s as victims of domestic abuse. They said ministers were also considering a separate definition for abuse in teenage relationships. Micala Trussler told the BBC she believed a standalone definition could better reflect how teenage relationships differ from adult ones.

A House of Lords committee began reviewing the Domestic Abuse Act in January, including its definition of abuse and its recognition of children as victims. The BBC says the review prompted the move to explore a separate definition.

Kaur said Holly’s story illustrated why the government was acting to halve violence against women and girls within a decade. Hexham MP Joe Morris, who accompanied the family, called the meeting a step towards getting what he described as “Holly’s law” on the statute book.

No timetable for the proposals has been announced, and the government has not said when the committee’s full review will be published. MacPhail was detained for at least 17 years in 2024 for Holly’s murder.