Dad guilty of 14-year-old daughterâs murder
A man who claimed his daughter died in a âfreak accidentâ 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 âmucking aboutâ, but a pathologist told Teesside Crown Court it was âpractically impossibleâ for the wound to have been caused by a thrown knife.
The jury rejected the 50-year-oldâs 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.
The prosecutionâs case relied on the pathologistâs conclusion her fatal injury must have been inflicted by a blade being firmly held in Vickersâ hand.
His lawyers said Vickers was already serving a âlife sentenceâ after Scarlettâs death.
Jurors spent 13 hours and 21 minutes 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.
Det Supt Craig Rudd of Durham Police said Scarlett had had âher whole life ahead of herâ but it was âcruelly cut short by a man who was meant to protect herâ.
He added: âWe may never know why or what caused Simon Vickers to do what he did that night.
âSadly, todayâs verdict will not bring Scarlett back, but he will now face the consequences of his actions.â
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