Molly Ticehurst’s Killer Sentenced to 28 Years; Family Pushes for Bail Reform

Daniel Billings, 31, was sentenced to 28 years in prison on September 11 for murdering his ex-partner Molly Ticehurst, a 28-year-old childcare worker from Forbes, NSW. He broke into her home in April 2024 just 59 seconds after arrival and stabbed her to death, despite an apprehended violence order and bail conditions that barred him from entering Forbes. The case has ignited calls for tougher bail laws and better protections for domestic violence victims.

How the murder happened and what the court found

Billings broke into Ticehurst’s home on April 20, 2024, and killed her in under a minute. Justice Natalie Adams told the NSW Supreme Court in Orange that the short timeframe was “consistent with her being attacked almost immediately”. Ticehurst’s wounds showed Billings targeted vulnerable parts of her body. Justice Adams noted that “it must have been absolutely terrifying for Ms Ticehurst to die knowing that her worst fears had been realised”.

Billings pleaded guilty to murder. The judge sentenced him to 35 years, then reduced it by 20 per cent to 28 years for his plea. The sentence was backdated to April 20, 2024, meaning he will be eligible for release on April 19, 2044, when he is 49 years old.

The system failed to protect her despite warnings

Ticehurst had made written notes expressing her fear of Billings before her death. She alleged he had sexually assaulted her, which he denied. On April 5, 2024, Billings was charged with sexual assault and domestic violence offences and granted bail. An apprehended violence order was issued, creating a 10-kilometre exclusion zone from her home and banning him from contacting her. Two weeks later, he broke in and killed her.

Ticehurst’s mother Kate Shaw and friend Meg Sladek found the AVO in her mailbox while packing up her home after the murder. “Fat lot of good that was, wasn’t it?” Sladek recalled Shaw saying. Friends and family say AVOs and bail conditions do not provide enough protection for women at risk of domestic violence.

NSW bail reforms and calls for ‘Molly’s Law’

Ticehurst’s death prompted NSW to introduce bail reforms that make it harder for alleged domestic violence perpetrators to obtain bail and require electronic ankle monitoring for serious offences. Her friends and family support the changes but argue alleged offenders should remain in custody until their cases are heard. Childhood friend Aidan Clarke said an AVO was ineffective if an offender was determined not to comply.

Friends and family are calling the proposed reforms “Molly’s Law”. Independent Orange MP Phil Donato criticised the non-parole period, saying life sentences should mean life. NSW Coroners Court data shows 366 domestic violence homicides involving an intimate partner since 2000, with an apprehended domestic violence order in place in 88 of those cases.

The documentary and broader impact

The ABC aired a 31-minute episode of Australian Story on September 14 titled “Molly: The Girl Next Door”, which features interviews with Ticehurst’s family and friends from Forbes. The episode explores how she tried to protect herself but the system failed her. Ticehurst’s father Tony said he misses his daughter every day but is proud of her legacy and the reforms designed to protect other women from similar harm.

Final Thoughts

Billings will serve at least 20 years before parole eligibility. The case has exposed gaps in domestic violence protections and driven reform, but advocates argue stronger measures are needed to keep alleged offenders in custody pending trial.

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