Children’s soccer coach age 18 ‘found murdered inside f lat’
A TEENAGE football coach found dead in her flat was a ‘precious and loving’ young woman in the prime of her life, her devastated family said yesterday.
Megan Newton’s body was discovered in her Stoke-on-Trent home on Saturday. An 18- year- old man appeared in court yesterday, charged with her murder.
Miss Newton, also 18, was a ‘ beautiful young woman’ who was ‘outgoing’, ‘ fun’ and ‘ amazing’, according to friends and family. They said her life was cut short in ‘the cruellest of ways’.
Her family paid tribute to ‘a young woman who had everything to live for’, adding: ‘We just can’t believe what’s happened. Our hearts are broken and our family is devastated.
‘She was into sport in a big way. She loved playing football and used to give up her weekends to work as an assistant coach for the under-7s. She loved working with children and was studying sports at college as well as holding three jobs down at the same time.
‘Meg had plans for the future – she was so independent and knew what she wanted to do with her life.
‘We were all behind her every step of the way and would have done anything for her. She was a young woman in the prime of life, so precious and loving and such a big part of our lives.
‘We just adored her. Family meant everything to Meg and we’re all struggling with what’s happened. It just doesn’t feel real.’
Miss Newton had been due to go shopping with her best friend, Ricardo Eccles, the day after she was found dead.
Mr Eccles, 18, said: ‘When I got the phone call to say that it was Meg, I was so shocked. I refused to believe it at first.
‘I’ve been a complete mess for a few days but I have to try to pull myself together for Meg. Her life has been cruelly cut short in its prime. She’d only just turned 18. She had her
‘She had her whole life ahead of her’
whole life ahead of her.’ The teenagers met while living in the same block of flats and would meet up every few days.
Mr Eccles added: ‘She was a really bubbly person and had a really outgoing personality.
‘She was there for everyone who needed her. She would be there for her friends at the click of a finger. She was an amazing person. My biggest memory of her is her amazing smile. She had the kind of smile that meant you couldn’t help smiling too.
‘She absolutely loved football, she was mad for Stoke City. It was a real passion. She was training young children in football when she died.
‘She had a really happy life and very much lived it to the full. She loved kids and wanted her own when she was older. We were living the teenage dream.’ Staffordshire Police were called to the flat at 3.20pm on Saturday. A cordon remained at the scene over the holiday weekend and well-wishers left floral tributes outside the property.
Joseph Trevor, of Stoke, appeared at North Staffordshire Justice Centre yesterday, charged with murder. He will appear at Stafford Crown Court on May 2.