‘Politicians have done bugger all… don’t let another woman die on your watch’

In the wake of Molly Ticehurst’s brutal alleged murder, women are furious, sharing stories of domestic and demanding politicians make real change. Trigger warning: domestic violence

Over a period of three months, Molly Ticehurst was sexually assaulted, stalked, harassed and threatened by her ex-partner, Daniel Billings, according to allegations by police.

He allegedly raped the 28-year-old mum three times, broke her car windows and targeted her puppy.

Molly did all the right things. She reported the incidents to police which resulted in Billings being charged and courts establishing an apprehended violence order against the 29-year-old Dubbo man.

Molly even left town for a while.

“She went away for the first week of the AVO,” her dad Tony Ticehurst told 9News. “Thinking that if he was going to do something, it would be within that week.

“She said she was wary and nervous and couldn’t sleep.”

But in the end, none of that mattered.

Taking advantage of a resource-poor regional court system, Billings was released on bail on a Saturday.

Two weeks later, Molly was found dead in her home in Forbes.

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Daniel Billings was released on bail. Two weeks later Molly Ticehurst had been murdered. Photo: TikTok

Daniel Billings walks free and allegedly murders ex-girlfriend

For a short period of time, Molly was safe from Daniel.

Charged with rape, stalking and aggravated cruelty towards an animal, the young man was in a Dubbo jail, awaiting trial.

But on the weekend of April 6, Billings applied for bail. Court magistrates don’t work on Saturdays in Dubbo, so a court registrar was charged with a decision that could mean grave danger for Molly: grant Billings bail, or leave him in a cell.

Although police said Billings was a threat to Molly, the registrar released him back into the community, putting in place a $5,000 surety, an apprehended violence order and banning him from entering Forbes, where Molly lived.

On April 22, Molly was found dead in her Forbes home, brutally murdered.

Billings has been charged with her murder.

RELATED: 'I could say all the normal stuff about my daughter, but Molly really was beautiful'

Dad Tony Ticehurst is heartbroken over his daughter Molly's murder. Photo: Facebook

Women furious over Molly Ticehurst’s alleged murder

Fury has erupted online and in the media over Molly’s tragic death, and many women have shared their own stories of how the system is failing them.

“What a disgrace this system is,” one person commented on a TikTok detailing the steps that led to Molly’s tragic murder. “How do [these judges] sleep at night?”

“This is so heartbreaking. Even a protection order doesn’t protect you in Australia,” said another woman. “I was literally told they can’t do anything until he does something worse to me.”

“The magistrate who let him out on bail should have charges laid,” a woman posted on Facebook. “Where in this story is the indication that this poor girl was safe. There needs to be accountability for judges and magistrates who go against police advice.”

RELATED: Seven domestic violence red flags

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Molly Ticehurst was a "beautiful" young woman, a mum and a childcare worker. Photo: Facebook

Ray Hadley’s scathing rant over Molly Ticehurst’s death

Radio host Ray Hadley shared his fury over Molly’s death on air.

“They wring their hands - the politicians - and they say, ‘This is outrageous’. The prime minister waxing lyrical, ‘Men have got to talk to their sons about violence against women’, Chris Minns says, ‘I feel for the family, I feel for everyone, this is dreadful, it’s terrible’,” he said on his 2GB show.  

"Well what have you done about it?” he demanded. “Not just you Chris but any of you. What have you done about it? You’ve done bugger all about it. And as a result another young woman is dead. Because you’ve done nothing about it.

“You sit there and wax lyrical and wank on about what you’re going to do… Do you do anything? No. Otherwise you wouldn’t have a meeting with that dolt Attorney General.

"Instead you’d say, ‘I tell you what’s got to change: the bail laws. Tomorrow. I’m going to get ahold of the opposition leader, I’m going to change them. I’m not going to have another woman dead on my watch at the hands of a person before the courts’.”

Originally published as ‘Politicians have done bugger all… don’t let another woman die on your watch’