Mylee Billingham trial: Jury urged to look past 'horror'

A lawyer representing a man accused of murdering his daughter urged a jury to look past the "obvious horror" of her death when considering a claim of diminished responsibility.

William Billingham, 55, denies murdering Mylee, eight, at his home near Walsall on 20 January.

Prosecutors at Birmingham Crown Court said he stabbed the youngster in the chest.

Mr Billingham said he cannot remember the killing.

The child suffered a fatal wound inside her father's bungalow in Brownhills, near Walsall, after he became jealous of her mother's new relationship, the trial has heard.

In his closing speech to the jury, defence QC David Mason cast doubt on claims Mr Billingham had faked his "complete amnesia" for the hours when the killing occurred.

Mr Mason told the court: "How does it help Mr Billingham not to remember what happened? What advantage does it give him? None at all, I suggest."

The barrister asked the jury to consider the argument that the defendant is guilty of manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility, linked to moderate depression.

He added: "What led a loving father to kill his favourite child in the brutal way that he did?

"This man has killed his own daughter and in the process he has destroyed a family.

"All that we ask is that you are willing and able to get past the obvious horror of what he did and ask yourselves a perfectly proper question - surely he couldn't have done this unless something had gone wrong in his head?"

During his submissions, Mr Mason said the "partial" defence of diminished responsibility, which reduces murder to manslaughter, had to be proved on the balance of probabilities.

On Wednesday a psychiatrist told the court Mr Billingham was suffering from "moderate" depression and his ability to exercise control was impaired at the time of Mylee's death.

Mr Billingham, a former factory worker, also denies making a threat to kill Mylee's mother, Tracey Taundry.

The judge will sum up the case on Monday.