Simon Vickers is jailed for life after fatally stabbing his daughter, Scarlett, during what he claims was a playfight.
Simon Vickers, age 50, was convicted last month. The trial revealed conflicting stories from him. He changed his story about the stabbing, which involved a kitchen knife going 11cm into Scarlett’s chest.
Sarah Hall, Scarlett’s mom and Vickers’ partner of 27 years, was also in the kitchen. She supported Vickers, telling the court he loved their only child and would never hurt her.
The jury deliberated for over 13 hours. They convicted him of murder, ten to two, rejecting manslaughter or acquittal. Manslaughter is a less serious charge.
The prosecutor, Mark McKone KC, said Scarlett’s death wasn’t an accident. This incident happened last July, jurors heard.
A pathologist, Dr. Jennifer Bolton, testified that someone held the knife. She stated force was needed to cause the deep wound.
McKone acknowledged Vickers was devastated and loved his daughter. The jury would hear this, but the injury wasn’t accidental. It couldn’t have been caused by simply swiping the knife across a surface.
The defense lawyer, Nicholas Lumley KC, spoke and said Vickers feels responsible for her death. However, he denied doing anything illegal.
Vickers drank wine and smoked cannabis that day while watching the Euros football tournament on TV. Hall was cooking spaghetti Bolognese for dinner, and Scarlett came downstairs from her room. They started throwing grapes at each other for fun; it was a normal day.
Hall then playfully snipped at Vickers with tongs. He complained that it hurt him, he said, and Scarlett then called him “wimpy.” Hall turned to serve the food, and then she heard Scarlett say “ow,” immediately seeing her covered in blood.
Hall called 999 and reported the accident, saying they were “messing about.” She said Vickers threw something and didn’t realize it.
Vickers told a paramedic a different story. He said that Scarlett lunged at him, during their play-fight, he stated. Scarlett died at the scene of the incident; there was nothing that could be done. The situation was devastating.
Vickers testified in his own defense, too. He insisted it was just a “freak accident” and that he did not mean to do it, he said.
After the conviction, Anna Barker, a senior crown prosecutor, spoke about the inconsistencies. She said the evidence didn’t match Vickers’s account.