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
Dad guilty of 14-year-old daughter's murde
rA 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.
'Mucking about'
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
Dad guilty of 14-year-old daughter's murder
Family handout A teenage girl with long brown hair looks at the camera. She is wearing a white shirt, a navy and white striped tie and a navy blazer.Family handout
Scarlett Vickers died at her home in July after being stabbed in the chest
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.
Durham Police Mugshot of Simon Vickers. He has short dark hair and a grey beard.Durham Police
Simon Vickers was remanded in custody ahead of sentencing
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.
'Mucking about'
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.
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Police station video shows Simon Vickers telling police he and his daughter Scarlett were just "mucking about"
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.
