The New South Wales police commissioner has admitted the “horrific” alleged murder of Molly Ticehurst “should not have happened” amid a rise in domestic violence in Australia.
The body of the 28-year-old early childhood educator and mother of a child was found in her home in Forbes, about 137 kilometers west of Sydneyearly Monday morning.
Her ex-boyfriend Daniel Billings, 29, has been charged with her alleged murder and was out on bail at the time.
He had previously been accused of allegedly raping the young mother three times, stalking and harassing her four times, smashing her car windows and assaulting her 12-week-old dachshund puppy.
Commissioner Webb was said to have been deeply affected by Ms Ticehurst’s death, describing it as “a terrible and frankly appalling crime”, while backing an urgent government review of bail laws “as a priority”. .
NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb said the “horrific” alleged murder of Molly Ticehurst “should not have happened” amid a rise in domestic violence in Australia.
“I will say from the beginning that the police share the sentiment of the community,” Commissioner Webb told the Sydney Morning Herald.
“This should not have happened and, unfortunately, it is not an isolated case.”
He also backed New South Wales Premier Chris Minns’ promise to review bail laws in a bid to make New South Wales a safer state.
Ticehurst was the 25th woman allegedly killed by a man in 2024.
Domestic violence has been a priority for Commissioner Webb since she was appointed to the top job two years ago.
‘I have always said that domestic violence is a silent crime. That has to change,’ he stated.
The commissioner added that there was a need to “keep the issue of domestic violence in the spotlight” so that victims could feel empowered to speak out and seek help.
When asked Friday whether she would like to see a change in which court clerks do not make decisions on serious matters like sexual assault or harassment, the commissioner said “without a doubt.”
“When I saw the solicitor’s announcement (about the review), he made it clear that one of the suggestions being considered was for a prosecutor or magistrate to consider bail, rather than a registrar,” he told Ben Fordham of 2GB.
‘I support it if that is where the government lands.
‘We have been pushing for some time to make amendments to bail laws, particularly as they relate to the protection of women and victims of sexual and domestic violence.
“We have a seat at that table and it’s important that we do so.”
Commissioner Webb described the death of Molly Ticehurst (pictured) as a “terrible and frankly horrifying crime”.
It comes after it was revealed that Billings was free to roam (and allegedly enter Forbes in contravention of a restraining order) following a court decision, followed by a second just days before Ms Ticehurst was allegedly killed .
According nine newspapersWhen he faced court on Saturday in Dubbo to apply for bail on charges of rape and harassment, the presiding officer was L Cusack, a recorder, rather than a senior magistrate, because magistrates do not work for judicial purposes. week.
Registrars are trained to hear bail applications but, unlike magistrates, do not need to have a law degree.
During that court appearance on April 6, police argued to the recorder that Billings posed a risk to his ex-partner and had threatened her.
However, the recorder agreed to release him on bail, imposing a $5,000 bail and a restrained violence order on Ms Ticehurst’s behalf, including the condition that he not enter the town of Forbes at all.
Last Thursday, the charges were raised again before a magistrate at Dubbo Local Court, but this time police did not question whether he should be returned to custody.
Ms Ticehurst’s body was discovered four days later.
Police arrested Billings, who had allegedly fled to a property in Fifield, more than 100 kilometers from Forbes, and is now on remand and in custody.
Mrs Ticehurst’s grieving father, Tony Ticehurst, told Nine: “If he had been kept in jail like the police wanted, we wouldn’t be having this conversation.”
Billings will appear in Orange Local Court on June 20.
Daniel Billings, 29, has been charged with the alleged murder of Ms Ticehurst and was on bail for other serious offenses at the time.