Key facts
- Daniel Billings was sentenced to 28 years in jail for the murder of Molly Ticehurst.
- Billings received a non-parole period of 20 years.
- Justice Natalie Adams found Billings acted out of retribution, revenge, and extreme hatred.
- Ticehurst was murdered in her home on April 22, 2024.
- Billings broke into Ticehurst's bedroom and stabbed her 15 times.
- Billings was enraged by Ticehurst's sexual assault allegations and believed he was a victim of injustice.
Daniel Billings has been sentenced to 28 years in jail, with a non-parole period of 20 years, for the murder of his ex-girlfriend Molly Ticehurst. The sentencing took place in the NSW Supreme Court in Orange on Friday morning.
Justice Natalie Adams described Billings' actions as a brutal attack motivated by retribution, revenge, and extreme hatred, occurring after Ticehurst reported allegations of sexual assault against him to the police. The judge noted that the murder was a serious public justice offense, as Billings killed the only witness in his potential rape trial.
Ticehurst, a 28-year-old childcare worker, was found dead in her home in Forbes on April 22, 2024. Billings, her former boyfriend, broke into her bedroom and fatally stabbed her 15 times. In the months prior, Billings had repeatedly threatened Ticehurst after their on-and-off relationship ended in December 2023. Ticehurst had reported this abuse to the police, leading to charges against Billings for sexual assault, stalking, and intimidation, as well as animal cruelty for killing her puppy.
Billings had been released on bail by a local court registrar two weeks before the murder. He became enraged and fixated on the belief he was wrongfully accused. In phone recordings made hours before the murder, Billings detailed his plans for revenge.
Billings pleaded guilty to murder after more than 500 days of legal negotiations, during which the sexual assault charges were dropped. Charges of property damage, animal cruelty, and breaching an apprehended violence order were considered in the sentencing.
The murder of Ticehurst has intensified national campaigns against domestic and gendered violence, contributing to changes in NSW laws, including reforms to bail for domestic violence cases and the implementation of electronic monitoring for accused individuals.