Scarlett Vickers: Darlington man found guilty of murdering his daughter, 14, after he stabbed her in kitchen

Simon Vickers, 50, has been found guilty of the murder of Scarlett, following a 13-hour deliberation by the jury at Teesside Crown Court, with a majority verdict of 10-2, rejecting Vickers’ claim that the incident was a tragic accident.

Mr Justice Cotter, addressing the jury, made it clear the incident was no “accident.” The court heard that Vickers had given multiple accounts of what happened before he plunged an 11cm kitchen knife into Scarlett’s chest.

Home Office pathologist Dr Jennifer Bolton testified that the fatal wound required force and that the knife must have been held in Vickers’ hand.

Prosecutor Mark McKone KC told the jury: “If you accept that Mr Vickers has lied about how Scarlett was killed, this must be because he has something important to cover up. This suggests that he does not have a truthful account which he considers to be innocent for you to even consider.” He added: “The blow could not have been caused by it being accidentally swiped across a work surface.”

Vickers maintained his innocence, insisting the stabbing was a “freak accident” and claiming he thought he was swiping tongs along the work surface, not a knife. Defence lawyer Nicholas Lumley KC argued there was no motive for Vickers to harm his daughter, saying that he would bear “moral responsibility for her death for the rest of his life.”

Despite the defence’s arguments, the jury convicted Vickers of murder, leaving Scarlett’s mother, Sarah Hall, and other family members visibly stunned in court.

The court heard that on the day of the incident, Vickers had been drinking wine, watching football, and smoking cannabis. Scarlett had come downstairs to join her parents in the kitchen, where she playfully threw grapes at her father.

Ms Hall, who was preparing spaghetti bolognese, testified that she turned away briefly to serve the meal and then heard Scarlett say “ow.” She turned back to see her daughter bleeding heavily.

In a 999 call, Hall initially told the operator that they had been “messing about” and that her partner “didn’t realise” what had happened. Scarlett died at the scene despite emergency efforts.

Vickers will be sentenced on February 10.