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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/sep/19/stop-it-daddy-woman-tells-trial-of-eight-year-olds-death-mylee-billingham
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| 'Stop it, Daddy': woman tells murder trial of her eight-year-old's death | 'Stop it, Daddy': woman tells murder trial of her eight-year-old's death |
| (about 2 months later) | |
| The mother of an eight-year-old girl has told a murder trial the youngster shouted: “Stop it, Daddy,” moments before she was dragged into her father’s bungalow and stabbed to death. | The mother of an eight-year-old girl has told a murder trial the youngster shouted: “Stop it, Daddy,” moments before she was dragged into her father’s bungalow and stabbed to death. |
| Tracey Taundry told jurors her ex-partner William Billingham held a knife to her throat, and then took hold of their daughter by the coat as she called out for her mother. | Tracey Taundry told jurors her ex-partner William Billingham held a knife to her throat, and then took hold of their daughter by the coat as she called out for her mother. |
| Billingham, of Brownhills, near Walsall, denies murdering his daughter Mylee at his home and making a threat to kill Taundry as she arrived to collect the primary school pupil. | Billingham, of Brownhills, near Walsall, denies murdering his daughter Mylee at his home and making a threat to kill Taundry as she arrived to collect the primary school pupil. |
| On the second day of a trial at Birmingham crown court, Taundry said she slipped as Mylee was “grabbed” by Billingham on the night of Saturday 20 January this year. | On the second day of a trial at Birmingham crown court, Taundry said she slipped as Mylee was “grabbed” by Billingham on the night of Saturday 20 January this year. |
| Giving evidence at the 55-year-old’s trial, Taundry said she heard a “tink” near Billingham’s front doorstep and then spotted a knife as she waited for Mylee to fetch a bag. | Giving evidence at the 55-year-old’s trial, Taundry said she heard a “tink” near Billingham’s front doorstep and then spotted a knife as she waited for Mylee to fetch a bag. |
| Taundry told a jury of eight women and four men: “He said, ‘I’m going to kill you.’ He had a knife to my neck. I started running backwards, away from the house ... I slipped.” | Taundry told a jury of eight women and four men: “He said, ‘I’m going to kill you.’ He had a knife to my neck. I started running backwards, away from the house ... I slipped.” |
| Asked where Mylee was at the time she slipped, Taundry, who could be heard sobbing behind a screen shielding the witness box, added: “She was standing on the drain outside the front door, just to the side. | Asked where Mylee was at the time she slipped, Taundry, who could be heard sobbing behind a screen shielding the witness box, added: “She was standing on the drain outside the front door, just to the side. |
| “She was crying, she was upset and she was shouting, ‘Mummy, stop it Daddy ... Mummy.’ | “She was crying, she was upset and she was shouting, ‘Mummy, stop it Daddy ... Mummy.’ |
| “He walked towards her, grabbed her by the hood and dragged her back in the door.” | “He walked towards her, grabbed her by the hood and dragged her back in the door.” |
| Taundry said the front door was then slammed shut, leaving her unable to enter the house. | Taundry said the front door was then slammed shut, leaving her unable to enter the house. |
| She could then hear Mylee saying “Mummy, Mummy” inside the property, but did not hear Billingham say anything. | She could then hear Mylee saying “Mummy, Mummy” inside the property, but did not hear Billingham say anything. |
| Prosecutor Karim Khalil QC asked Taundry: “Are you able to give any sense of how long it was after she went into the house before you stopped hearing her voice?” | Prosecutor Karim Khalil QC asked Taundry: “Are you able to give any sense of how long it was after she went into the house before you stopped hearing her voice?” |
| Taundry replied: “Seconds.” | Taundry replied: “Seconds.” |
| Taundry’s evidence followed the close of the prosecution’s opening speech, during which Khalil claimed Billingham, a father of six, had only made comments about his own welfare as police tried to revive his daughter. | Taundry’s evidence followed the close of the prosecution’s opening speech, during which Khalil claimed Billingham, a father of six, had only made comments about his own welfare as police tried to revive his daughter. |
| Police gained entry to the property quickly, the trial was told, where they were confronted with a “terrible” scene. | Police gained entry to the property quickly, the trial was told, where they were confronted with a “terrible” scene. |
| Billingham is alleged to have been uncooperative with the first two officers to arrive, only speaking to confirm he had a lung condition which had caused him breathing difficulties. | Billingham is alleged to have been uncooperative with the first two officers to arrive, only speaking to confirm he had a lung condition which had caused him breathing difficulties. |
| The evidence in the case, Khalil said, suggested Mylee “was probably lying down and it was a hard surface” which prevented the 20cm blade passing out of her back. | The evidence in the case, Khalil said, suggested Mylee “was probably lying down and it was a hard surface” which prevented the 20cm blade passing out of her back. |
| Billingham was treated for wounds to his stomach, which the crown says were self-inflicted, before being interviewed by police after undergoing surgery. | Billingham was treated for wounds to his stomach, which the crown says were self-inflicted, before being interviewed by police after undergoing surgery. |
| Concluding his opening speech, Khalil addressed claims by a psychiatric expert, due to be called by the defence, that Billingham may have a partial defence of diminished responsibility, reducing murder to manslaughter. | Concluding his opening speech, Khalil addressed claims by a psychiatric expert, due to be called by the defence, that Billingham may have a partial defence of diminished responsibility, reducing murder to manslaughter. |
| Billingham’s behaviour in the days leading up to the killing did not reveal any serious abnormality of mind, Khalil said, adding: “He clearly knew exactly what he was doing and to whom. | Billingham’s behaviour in the days leading up to the killing did not reveal any serious abnormality of mind, Khalil said, adding: “He clearly knew exactly what he was doing and to whom. |
| “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.” | “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.” |
| The trial continues. | The trial continues. |
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