The age that victims of domestic abuse are recognised by law will be looked at after the murder of 15-year-old Holly Newton, says home secretary Yvette Cooper.
Her pledge follows a campaign by Holly’s mother, Micala Trussler, for a further lowering of the age a person can legally be recognised as a domestic abuse victim after her daughter was stalked and then stabbed to death by her ex-boyfriend, Logan MacPhail, at Hexham, Northumberland, in January 2023.
“We will 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” Cooper said on BBC Radio 4. “I do think that this is an extremely importantissue and we have to take seriously the points that they have made.”
The age limit used to be 18, but lowered to 16 in 2012 to recognise young people can experience abuse in relationships.
“Children are getting into relationships much younger. They can be victims of domestic abuse,” said Ms Trussler. “We need more education, not just for children but for teachers and parents.”
By recognising domestic abuse against under 16s, rather than classifying it as child abuse, enables the children to receive different kinds of support, she added.
At Newcastle Crown Court MacPhail was ordered to be detained for a minimum of 17 years. He admitted manslaughter but was found guilty of murdering Holly and intentionally wounding another youth who tried to stop the attack.
