Murder plea yet to be entered 14 months after death of childcare worker Molly Ticehurst
Molly Ticehurst’s family filed into Parkes Local Court on Friday, hoping for movement in the case against their daughter’s alleged killer. They left bitterly disappointed.
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The temperature was hovering somewhere just north of freezing when Molly Ticehurst’s family and friends filed into Parkes Local Court on Friday morning.
It’s a now familiar setting to them, the inside of this historic country courthouse, where justice has been meted out in various forms for almost 130 years.
It’s been 14 months since 28-year-old Molly, a much loved childcare worker, was found dead inside her Forbes home, allegedly murdered at the hands of her ex-boyfriend Daniel Billings.
The tragic case sparked an outpouring of grief and reignited a national discussion on gendered violence.
The allegations surrounding the case stirred widespread debate. Politicians were spurred into action after it was revealed Billings had been granted bail by a local court registrar two weeks earlier.
Laws were subsequently changed, banning registrars from making bail decisions, and the community as a whole vowed Molly’s death would not be in vain.
But the wheels of justice turn slowly in the state of New South Wales.
The criminal case against Billings - meant to take approximately eight months from arrest to plea under streamlined prosecution guidelines - has now blown out to more than a year.
Molly’s family arrived at court on Friday hoping for some development in the case, which has been in a holding pattern for months.
It had been flagged during the last court appearance that Billings would be entering a plea this time - guilty or not guilty - and there would finally be some movement beyond the seemingly eternal holding pattern.
But they left bitterly disappointed after learning the case would be delayed for at least another two months.
It was a hard pill to swallow for Molly’s family, who were seen huddled in a circle outside court after the proceedings, deep in conversation.
They politely declined to speak to the media when approached for comment, but were clearly frustrated at the situation.
There is not much they can do, except continue to find comfort in their shared grief and hope a resolution is on the horizon.
Molly’s case may have been the first domestic violence matter dealt with in court on Friday, but it wasn’t the last.
Parkes resident Luke Matthew Cross is facing a raft of partner abuse charges stemming from an incident in the lead up to Christmas last year.
The 42-year-old is accused of holding his partner hostage inside their Parkes home for 45 minutes on December 13 in contravention of an existing apprehended domestic violence order.
Police allege he smashed her mobile phone, broke her necklace and intimidated her during the interaction.
He was arrested the following day and remanded in custody but has since been given Supreme Court bail.
No pleas have been entered to the charges and the case remains ongoing.
At the start of last month, another Parkes resident, Sam Clarke, appeared in court charged with trying to shoot his girlfriend in an act of domestic violence in late April.
Police allege Clarke was arguing with the woman inside their unit when he pulled out a gun and attempted to shoot her.
He too is facing a prior allegation of assault against the same woman, court documents show.
He is yet to enter pleas to the charges and his case also remains before the courts.
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