Schoolgirl Mylee Billingham shouted ‘no daddy’ before she was stabbed, court hears

An eight-year-old girl called out for her mother and shouted “no daddy” as she was dragged to her death by her father, a court has heard.

Mylee Billingham was stabbed “right through” her chest after William Billingham grabbed the hood of her coat and pulled her into his bungalow as her mother dialled 999 outside, Birmingham Crown Court was told.

Prosecutor Karim Khalil QC said Billingham, a 55-year-old father-of-six, only commented about his own welfare as police tried to revive his daughter, and showed a “total disregard for her young life”.

Billingham denies murdering Mylee at his bungalow in Valley View, near Walsall on 20 January.

He also denies threatening to kill her mother, former partner Tracey Taundry, as she arrived to collect the child.

Mr Khalil said Mylee was near the doorstep of the property when she was pulled inside.

He told the court: “As Tracey and Mylee began to walk away, Tracey heard a ‘tink’ sound behind her.

“She turned and saw a large black-handled knife on that doorstep.

“The defendant immediately bent down and picked it up. He said something to the effect of ‘this isn’t happening’.”

Billingham, who claims to have no memory of the day of the alleged murder, stepped out of his front door and put the knife against the side of Miss Taundry’s neck, saying “I’m going to f****** kill you,” the court heard.

Mr Khalil added: “Tracey managed to move away. She also pushed Mylee away and started to run but she slipped.

“Then Tracey saw the defendant grab Mylee by the hood of her coat and he started to drag Mylee back towards the bungalow. All the time Mylee was shouting ‘mummy, mummy’ and ‘please daddy, no daddy, stop it’.”

When Mylee was taken inside, Miss Taundry banged on the door but could not open it as she shouted to her daughter.

The trial was told that police gained entry to the property and were confronted with a “terrible” scene.

It is alleged Billingham had been unco-operative with the first two officers to arrive and only spoke to confirm he had a lung condition which had caused him breathing difficulties.

Mr Khalil said the evidence in the case suggested that Mylee “was probably lying down and it was a hard surface” which prevented the 20cm blade passing out of her back. She suffered a 17cm-deep stab wound to her chest.

He told the court a pathologist believed severe force was used to inflict the wound, which caused rib damage and “penetrated the entire depth of Mylee’s chest from front to back”.

Billingham received treatment for wounds to his stomach, which the prosecution say were self-inflicted, before being interviewed by police after undergoing surgery.

Mr Khalil concluded by addressing 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.

He said Billingham’s behaviour in the days leading up to the killing did not reveal any serious abnormality of mind.

The trial continues.

(c) Sky News 2018: Schoolgirl Mylee Billingham shouted ‘no daddy’ before she was stabbed, court hears