Father gets life for murdering Mylee, 8, to spite ex over same-sex relationship

A man has been jailed for life for stabbing his eight-year-old daughter to death in a “revenge” attack aimed at causing pain to her mother.

William Billingham was told he must serve at least 27 years for the “brutal and cowardly” murder of Mylee Billingham, whom he dragged into his bungalow after her mother came to collect her.

The 55-year-old, who will be in his early 80s before he can be considered for release, was said by his barrister to have no desire to live due to his remorse over the killing.

Passing sentence at Birmingham Crown Court, Judge Paul Farrer QC ruled that Billingham had killed his daughter out of “jealousy and anger” after his ex-partner, Tracey Taundry, began a new, same-sex relationship.

Billingham was given a two-year concurrent jail term for holding a knife to the throat of Miss Taundry before the murder, as she called at his home in Valley View, Brownhills, near Walsall.

The father-of-six – brother of TV’s SAS Who Dares Wins star Mark Billingham – sat with his head bowed in the dock as the judge told him: “When Tracey escaped you on the front lawn, you turned your anger upon Mylee.

“Your victim was your own eight-year-old daughter, who at the relevant time was in your care.

“Your motive was to cause pain to Tracey Taundry and as such this was an act of revenge.”

Accepting the decision to harm Mylee arose spontaneously, the judge added: “Within moments of stabbing Mylee, you realised the enormity of what you had done – you regretted your actions and you attempted to take your own life.

“Ultimately, this was the brutal, cowardly, killing of a defenceless and much-loved child who had her whole life ahead of her.”