Molly Ticehurst's Killer to Appeal 28-Year Sentence

Daniel Billings, the killer of childcare worker Molly Ticehurst, plans to appeal his 28-year prison sentence. The appeal was confirmed by the NSW Supreme Court on Monday evening.

Billings was sentenced in the Orange Supreme Court last month for the murder of Ms Ticehurst, who was stabbed multiple times with a hunting knife at her home in Forbes on April 21, 2024.

Appeal Lodged

The NSW Supreme Court said in a statement that Daniel Billings filed a notice of intention to appeal [NIA] against the sentence imposed by Justice Adams in Orange on 11 September.

The NIA was lodged on the afternoon of Friday, 9 October.

According to the rules, he has one year to act on his plans by filing a notice to appeal.

Reaction from the Community

The Member for Orange, Phil Donato, said that Ms Ticehurst's death had not only "rocked Forbes and the central west", but had reverberated nationwide.

"I thought he got off pretty leniently after pleading guilty," Mr Donato said.

"This is going to just add more time, more stress, more trauma for the family of Molly, for her family and friends in the community, and I know it's his legal right, but he's certainly got a hide."

Mr Donato added the family would have to "relive" sitting through court dates, hours of sentencing submissions and hearings.

"Billings has always been a pretty calculative, manipulative person, when you look at the conduct of what he did in the lead up to the murder of Molly," he said.

Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions' Response

In a recent statement, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions said it would not be appealing Billings's sentence of 28 years in prison with a non-parole period of 20 years.

"Having carefully considered the sentence imposed and the circumstances of this case, the ODPP has determined not to institute an appeal against Mr Billing's sentence," the spokesperson said.

"This decision was made in accordance with the prosecution guidelines."

Legal Reforms

Ms Ticehurst's death sparked widespread community anger over the rates of domestic violence against women, particularly in regional areas.

It also turned attention to the state's legal framework after it was revealed that Ms Ticehurst's death happened just two weeks after Billings had faced Dubbo Local Court charged with other violent offences against her, including rape and intimidation.

As a response, the government strengthened bail laws, including the wearing of electronic monitoring devices and placing the onus on those accused of domestic violence offences to demonstrate why they should be given bail before it is granted.