A father fatally stabbed his 14-year-old daughter in their Darlington home. He was sentenced to life in prison.
The mom, Sarah Hall, was also home. She said Simon loved their daughter and didn’t think he would hurt her.
Sarah and Scarlett were playfully throwing grapes. Sarah used tongs on Simon as a joke, and Scarlett called him “wimpy” after he complained. Simon then asked Scarlett a question about her actions.
The judge sentenced Simon to life, requiring him to serve at least 15 years. The judge stated that only Simon knew what happened and described it as a sudden act of anger.
Jurors convicted Simon of murder with a 10-2 vote last month. The judge found Simon’s story unbelievable, as he claimed it was an accident.
The judge said Simon never told the truth. Scarlett should have been safe at home; she was a normal, healthy 14-year-old whose life ended too soon.
The judge said anger caused his actions, turning a happy night tragic. Simon drank wine and smoked cannabis that night, but alcohol may not have been the primary cause.
Simon had a prior conviction from 1993 for slashing a man’s face. Scarlett’s mom and Simon’s parents believe Simon didn’t mean harm.
At trial, Sarah turned to serve dinner and then heard Scarlett say “Ow.” She saw Scarlett bleeding a lot and called 999, saying they were “messing about”.
Simon claimed Scarlett lunged at him during play-fighting. Scarlett died at the scene, bleeding to death.
Police said we may never know the truth and stated Simon’s actions were not justified. They concluded that if he hadn’t used the knife, she’d still be alive, describing the case as very sad for everyone.