R v Billings [2026] NSWSC 1088

R v Billings [2026] NSWSC 1088. N Adams CJ at CL sentenced Daniel Billings for the planned murder of his former partner, Molly Ticehurst, after she reported alleged sexual assault and domestic violence offences to police. The central issue was the appropriate sentence, including the murder’s objective seriousness, its retaliatory public justice character, the effect of Billings’ depression and childhood adversity, and the guilty plea discount. The Court placed the offence at the high end of objective seriousness while accepting reduced moral culpability. A 20% plea discount was applied. Billings received 28 years’ imprisonment, commencing 20 April 2024, with a 20-year non-parole period.