Mylee Billingham: Father killed schoolgirl in moment of 'utter madness', court told

Defence barrister Mr David Mason QC said William Billingham 'destroyed' his family when he plunged a blade through Mylee Billingham's chest in his Brownhills bungalow.

But he urged jurors to consider the defence's argument that moderate depression caused the 55-year-old to kill the schoolgirl, and encouraged them to return a not guilty verdict.

In his closing speech to jurors, the barrister said: "No one could have predicted what was going to happen that Saturday night. They were happily enjoying life together, when for some reason, this man has decided to end both of their lives.

"That depression subsequently impaired his judgement. That depression, we suggest, must have at the very least, been a significant contributing factor in causing him to kill Mylee and then try and kill himself. Why else would it have happened?"

The defence has argued Billingham was suffering from the mental health condition at the time he killed Mylee and jurors should find him guilty of manslaughter, on the basis of diminished responsibility.

But prosecutors allege the 'brutal' killing was part of a 'revenge act' against the eight-year-old's mother Tracey Taundry and her new female partner.

In his closing speech to the jury on Thursday, prosecutor Mr Karim Khalil QC said Billingham 'knew what he was doing' when he wounded Mylee with the 20cm blade.

He added: "There is simply no credible evidence to suggest this defendant was suffering from any sort of mental disorder.

"The defendant has claimed not to remember these events because he does not want to talk about them.

"It fits entirely with his controlling and self-centred personality.

"It's clear beyond doubt that when he did that act, he intended to kill his daughter."

During the trial, jurors were told father-of-six Billingham claimed he could not recall the day of the killing but only events before and after.

But at a police station, he said 'I did not rape my daughter' three days after Mylee's death.

It was an unprompted remark made when he heard an officer brand him a pervert after reading a newspaper report on the case, the prosecutor said.

Mr Khalil added: "In order to assert he had not done something, he must have remembered what he had done."

Billingham denies murdering Mylee in his Valley View home and making a threat to kill Ms Taundry on January 20. The case continues.