Home UK Dad who murdered ‘perfect’ daughter, 8, sentenced

Dad who murdered ‘perfect’ daughter, 8, sentenced

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A father who stabbed his eight-year-old daughter to death has been sentenced to life with a minimum term of 27 years

William Billingham, 55, used a kitchen knife to stab Mylee in the chest in an act of revenge against his former partner.

He dragged his daughter screaming into his bungalow near Walsall, moments after threatening her mother Tracey Taundry by holding the knife to her neck.

He had told Ms Taundry he was going to kill her after she began a relationship with another woman.

Prosecutors told Birmingham Crown Court that Mylee was screaming for her mother as he dragged her inside and could be heard begging "please Daddy, no Daddy, stop it".

Image: William Billingham has been convicted sentenced to life for murdering his daughter. Pic: West Midlands Police

CCTV showing Billingham with his daughter visiting a local shop just hours before her murder in January was shown to jurors.

He attacked her soon after her mother arrived to collect her.

The unemployed factory worker claimed to have no memory of murdering Mylee and did not give evidence at his trial.

Prosecutor Karim Khalil QC told the court it was "swift, deliberate, clinical, brutal".

He went on: "This was no accident and it was not a slight injury. It was a deep, violent thrust of a lethal weapon into the most vulnerable part of his young daughter's body."

Mylee Billingham was captured on CCTV buying a treat from a shop with her father hours before she was killed
Image: Mylee Billingham was captured on CCTV buying a treat from a shop with her father hours before she was killed

Billingham, who will be aged 82 before his release from prison can even be considered by the parole board, stared at the floor and shook his head as he was sentenced.

During the sentencing hearing, a victim impact statement by Mylee's mother was read to the court in which she described her daughter as "perfect".

"Mylee was brutally taken from us by a man who was supposed to protect and care for her.

"How can I ever explain how the murder of my beautiful daughter, smiley Mylee, has affected me," the statement read.

"My life and that of my children's fell apart."

Mylee Billingham's funeral was held in Walsall in April this year
Image: Mylee Billingham's funeral was held in Walsall in April this year

She described the murder as the "most selfish and despicable actions", adding: "I have constant nightmares and I relive that terrible night over and over again".

Passing sentence, Judge Paul Farrer QC said: "This offence was driven by jealousy and anger. You turned that anger upon Mylee and killed her in order to cause pain to her mother.

"As such, this was an act of revenge. Alternately, this was the brutal, cowardly killing of a defenceless and much-loved child who had her whole life ahead of her."

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He was also given a concurrent two-year sentence for making a threat to kill Mylee's mother while holding a knife to her neck on the night of the murder.

Billingham was wearing bandages on both arms after an apparent suicide attempt during the course of his trial.

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