The moment a teen killer is scolded by officers for “getting clever” during his arrest for the murder of a 15-year-old schoolgirl has been captured in chilling footage.
Logan MacPhail was 16 when he brutally stabbed 15-year-old Holly Newton to death in Hexham, Northumberland, in January 2023. MacPhail dragged his victim into an alley before murdering her and attacked a teenage boy. MacPhail, from 17, from Gateshead, has been found guilty of murder and grievous bodily harm with intent. Today, he was sentenced following a two-day hearing at Newcastle Crown Court.
Northumbria Police said they “swiftly” arrested the 16-year-old after Holly and the other unnamed teen were taken to hospital. Footage now released by the Force shows the moment MacPhail “got clever” with officers, The Mirror reports.
The clip from the police officer’s body camera shows MacPhail being lifted at a bus stop in Gateshead, before being put into a van. The arresting officer asks MacPhail if he has anything in his pockets, to which he replies: “My phone”. The officer then removes the device before asking the teen to confirm his name.
The officer then asks about Holly, who was fighting for her life at the time. He can be heard saying: “Who’s the lass, do you know her name?”. He responds by confirming, who Holly is, the clip then skips to the moment MacPhail is placed in the rear of the police van. When asked what his date of birth was, he replies with a “clever” answer
The officer asks: “What’s your date of birth?” Before MacPhail replies: I don’t know.” The officer quickly snaps back, replying: “You don’t know? Stop being clever, right? You know how much bother you’re in.” MacPhail continues to insist he doesn’t know his birth date, before eventually confirming he is 16 years old.
Northumbria Police have since hailed the sentencing of the teenager following the “truly tragic case”, with Chief Superintendent Sam Rennison, the service’s Northumberland Area Commander, commending work done by investigators. He said: “Thanks to their hard work and dedication, as well as continued support from the local community, the weight of evidence against the offender was so overwhelming that a jury has found him guilty of all charges.
“His life and those of his loved one have also been changed forever by the decisions he made that night. Violence has absolutely no place in society – and as a Force we are committed to working with our partners to tackle such offending. However, each and every one of us has a role to play – and we must all come together to help prevent violence and knife crime. This includes continuing to educate our young people and talking to them about the pain and suffering caused by violence.”
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