Dad guilty of 14-year-old daughter's murder

A man who claimed his daughter died in a "freak accident" during a play-fight with a knife has been found guilty of her murder.

Scarlett Vickers, 14, bled to death at her home in Darlington in July after suffering a 4in-deep (11cm) stab wound to her chest.

Simon Vickers claimed he caused the fatal injury while they were "mucking about", but a pathologist told Teesside Crown Court it was "practically impossible" for the wound to have been caused by a knife which had been thrown in the manner the defendant claimed.

The jury rejected the 50-year-old's explanation. He will be sentenced in February.

The trial had heard Scarlett died at her home in Geneva Road after being stabbed in the kitchen on 5 July.

Her parents were the only other people present.

Mr Vickers had told the court he and Scarlett's mother, Sarah Hall, "would never harm" their daughter, adding: "She was our life, our purpose."

Her parents had said they were all "mucking about", throwing grapes at each other in the kitchen.

Ms Hall had told police and paramedics she had got the knife out to cut garlic bread and placed them next to some tongs.

Mr Vickers told the court he swiped a pair of tongs towards Scarlett which must have caught a knife, which he had not seen.

Scarlett's mother backed up Mr Vickers' version of events, telling jurors she believed it was an accident and her partner of 27 years would never harm their daughter.

The prosecution's case relied on the pathologist's conclusion Scarlett's fatal injury must have been inflicted by a blade being firmly held in Vickers' hand.

Forensic pathologist Jennifer Bolton told the court kitchen knives were not designed to be thrown and the blade would have had to strike at a 90-degree angle to pass through Scarlett's pyjama top into her chest, otherwise it would have rebounded off.

Vickers said Scarlett was a "normal" and "cheeky" teenager and "fantastic daughter" who was "good at most things she did".

He said he had drunk about four glasses of wine on the evening of 5 July while watching the football and all three were happy and in a good mood.

His lawyers said Vickers was already serving a "life sentence" after Scarlett's death.

Jurors spent more than 13 hours deliberating their verdict before reaching a majority agreement, with 10 finding Vickers guilty of murder.

He was remanded in custody to be sentenced on 10 February.

Senior Crown Prosecutor with CPS North East Anna Barker said Mr Vickers' account had been "wholly inconsistent with the forensic evidence" in the case.

Det Supt Craig Rudd of Durham Police said Scarlett had had "her whole life ahead of her" but it was "cruelly cut short by a man who was meant to protect her".

He added: "We may never know why or what caused Simon Vickers to do what he did that night.

"Sadly, today's verdict will not bring Scarlett back, but he will now face the consequences of his actions."

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