Father and daughter, 14, 'goofing around' before fatal stab wounds, UK court hears UK News

A father accused of stabbing his 14-year-old daughter to death in his kitchen told police they were just “having fun” throwing things at each other while making tea, a court heard.

Simon Vickers, 50, is on trial at Teesside Crown Court in Middlesbrough, charged with the murder or manslaughter of his daughter Scarlett Vickers. He denies both charges.

Mark McKone KC, prosecuting, said paramedics were called to the Darlington home and found Scarlett lying on the kitchen floor with stab wounds.

“Scarlett bled to death in her own home,” he said.

McCone said a 999 call was made on July 5 last year by Scarlett's mother Sarah Hall, who told the operator they had been “messing around” and that her partner had thrown something at her daughter. “He didn't realize it.”

The court heard Vickers told paramedic Andrew Crow that his daughter had lunged at him during a fight.

Paramedics pronounced Scarlett dead at 11.50pm, about an hour after he arrived at the house.

The court heard that officer Adam Tobling was “visibly disturbed” when he saw the parents sitting on the sofa with blood on their hands and clothes.

Hall said Vickers picked up a spatula and “didn't realize the knife was next to it.”

Police said Vickers then added: “We were making tea, we were playing and started throwing things at each other.”

Hall said she pulled out a knife to cut the garlic bread and her partner picked it up without realizing it.

Vickers later said they got “intoxicated” with alcohol after watching a Good Day football match.

The court heard neither parents realized Scarlett was injured until she yelled.

Police heard Vickers say: “It's not difficult at all, it's nothing, I don't understand.”

McKone said the stab wound was 11 centimeters deep. It was on her chest, hurting Scarlett's heart.

He said the prosecution's argument was that the wounds were not caused by a thrown weapon and that the knife must have been firmly in the defendant's hand when he was stabbed.

“The prosecution said the wound was too deep to be accidental,” he said.

Nicholas Lumley KC, defending, said Vickers and his partner Sarah Hall loved their daughter, their only child, with all their hearts.

“He had no intention of harming her,” Lumley said. “They were playing together in the kitchen, in a normal way of playing, when Simon Vickers suddenly realized that Scarlett was injured.

“Her body must have come into contact with a sharp knife and she died from the knife wounds very quickly.

“He, Simon Vickers, will bear moral responsibility for his daughter's death for the rest of his life.”

The trial continues.