Jury asked to consider whether something went ‘wrong in head’ of killer father

A jury trying a father accused of murdering his eight-year-old daughter has been urged to look past the “obvious horror” of the death in considering his claim of diminished responsibility.

Prosecutors allege that William Billingham, who denies murder, stabbed Mylee Billingham in the chest on January 20 after becoming jealous of her mother’s new relationship.

An eight-day trial at Birmingham Crown Court has been told Mylee suffered a fatal wound inside her father’s bungalow in Brownhills, near Walsall, after he dragged her into the property when her mother slipped over outside.

In his closing speech to the jury, defence QC David Mason cast doubt on claims Billingham had faked his “complete amnesia” for the hours when the killing occurred.

Mr Mason told the court: “How does it help Mr Billingham not to remember what happened? What advantage does it give him? None at all, I suggest.”

Inviting the jury to consider the defence’s argument that Billingham is guilty of manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility linked to moderate depression, Mr Mason asked: “What led a loving father to kill his favourite child in the brutal way that he did?

“This man has killed his own daughter and in the process he has destroyed a family.

“All that we ask is that you are willing and able to get past the obvious horror of what he did and ask yourselves a perfectly proper question, surely he couldn’t have done this unless something had gone wrong in his head?”

During his submissions, Mr Mason said the “partial” defence of diminished responsibility, which reduces murder to manslaughter, had to be proved on the balance of probabilities.

Former factory worker Billingham, a 55-year-old father-of-six, also denies making a threat to kill Mylee’s mother, Tracey Taundry, who told jurors he held a knife to her throat outside his home in Valley View, Brownhills.

Trial judge Paul Farrer QC is expected to sum the case up to the jury on Monday.