Daniel Billings jailed for 28 years for murder

Please be aware the content of this story is distressing. Daniel Billings has been jailed for 28 years – with a non-parole period of 20 years – for the murder of beloved mum and childcare worker Molly Ticehurst. His sentence will be backdated to April 2024, meaning he will first be eligible for parole in 2044. Molly was just 28 when her former partner broke in through her bedroom window and fatally stabbed her on the night of 21 April 2024. Judge Natalie Adams, handing down the sentence in the Supreme Court in Orange last Friday, described the attack as “brutal” and at the high end of the range for murder in her assessment of objective seriousness. Billings, then 29 years old, working as a drilling assistant and living in Parkes, was on bail for offences against Molly and under an apprehended violence order when he drove to her Forbes home late that night. "Mr Billings was aware that Ms Ticehurst had previously told police about her fears that he would break through the window and get to her before police could get there," Justice Adams said. "Mr Billings ultimately chose to carry out the fatal assault by doing exactly what he threatened to do. "It must have been absolutely terrifying for Ms Ticehurst to die knowing her worst fears had been realised." Justice Adams said she was satisfied Molly was killed in retribution for going to the police. Molly had reported allegations of domestic violence and sexual assault to police on 5 April, and Billings was arrested that afternoon. He was released on bail the next day. “From that point in time, he was driven by anger, revenge and extreme hatred of Ms Ticehurst,” Justice Adams said. That Molly had been a witness in allegations of sexual assault against Billings also made her death a very serious public justice offence, the judge said. The court heard Billings was in Molly's home less than a minute and then had driven to the home of friends. They phoned 000, and he was arrested in the early hours of the following morning. Police attended Molly's home in Forbes and made the tragic discovery. Billings entered a plea of guilty to her murder in court in Forbes in November last year. Billings also made an admission of guilt to a number of other charges, including breaching an apprehended violence order and animal cruelty for killing their puppy, while some other charges against him were not continued. Molly's family, carrying a large photo of her, were in court on Friday for sentencing, and the public gallery was filled with friends and supporters - as it has been for numerous court proceedings in the past two-and-a-half years. In statements in the lead-up to sentencing, Molly's family spoke of how she could light up the room with her contagious laugh and joyful personality. They also spoke of the immense pain of losing her. “It is clear that Molly’s senseless death has had a significant impact on those who loved her, it is particularly tragic that her son has been left without a mother at such a young age,” Justice Adams said on Friday. "Nothing I do in sentencing Mr Billings today, nor anything I say in explaining the reasons for that sentence, can bring Molly Ticehurst back or provide her family with any meaningful closure or relief. "All I can do is acknowledge their grief and sentence Mr Billings according to law." In sentencing and setting the parole period, Justice Adams applied discounts to the sentence and parole period for Billings’ guilty plea and remorse. She also considered his depressive illness as one of the factors, and his reasonable prospects of rehabilitation. TRIBUTES FLOW "You lived 28 action packed and loved filled years. "For 28 years you made everyone laugh, feel like family. "You were the world to so many mate." That was Molly Ticehurst, in the words of childhood friend Aidan Clarke as two-and-a-half years of court appearances came to an end with the sentencing of Daniel Billings for her murder. "Nothing will bring Molly back, no sentence would ever be enough," Aidan said. "But it is the last of 872 days where no one knew what the outcome would be and now it is day one of everyone who has been left behind to suffer their life sentence knowing that your beautiful smile and crazy laugh is not around and all we have left are photos and memories." Forbes has honoured Molly and shared her story in a special Australian Story that aired on ABC on Monday night. Molly - The Girl Next Door can be viewed on iView online at https://iview.abc.net.au/ MP SPEAKS OUT ON SENTENCING Orange MP Philip Donato has hit out at the sentence and non-parole period handed down. "My message to the NSW government is - enough is enough," Mr Donato said in response to Friday's Supreme Court sentencing for the murder of Molly Ticehurst. Billings was sentenced to 28 years in jail with a non-parole period of 20 years, backdated to April 2024. "Molly Ticehurst was a young mother, a daughter, a friend - and she should be alive today," Mr Donato said. "Daniel Billings admitted murdering Molly in the most horrific circumstances, after she had already sought help she faced a grave and foreseeable risk from a man who was on bail and subject to an apprehended violence order for offences against her." Mr Donato said no sentence would bring Molly back, but could call for accountability: accountability for a system that must learn from what happened before Molly's death and a sentence that reflects the gravity of what was done. "This is a matter that deserved a life sentence," Mr Donato said. "This is a matter where the non-parole period should have been much much higher than what it is." Molly's death was swiftly followed by legal reforms in NSW making it harder for alleged domestic violence offenders to get bail. Under the reforms, all bail decisions in NSW courts must be made by a magistrate or judge, and tougher penalties apply for breaches of Apprehended Domestic Violence Orders. The government reversed the presumption of bail for people charged with serious domestic violence offences, forcing them to ‘show cause’ why they shouldn’t be detained. They also introduced electronic monitoring for alleged serious domestic violence offenders who are released on bail, allowing Corrective Services to track them against geographic bail conditions. The amendments also strengthened the unacceptable risk test to include ‘red flag’ behaviour as well as the views of victims and their family members, where available, about safety concerns.