Sentencing for Molly Ticehurst's killer brought forward for psychiatrist's evidence
Quick Look
- The sentencing hearing for Daniel Billings, who pleaded guilty to murdering Molly Ticehurst, has been moved to September 3-4.
- This change allows forensic psychiatrist Olav Nielssen to provide evidence via video link, as he would have been unavailable on the original dates.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Daniel Billings pleaded guilty to murdering Molly Ticehurst in April 2024. A forensic psychiatrist found Billings was affected by a depressive illness at the time of the murder.
In short:
A sentencing hearing for Molly Ticehurst's killer has been brought forward to allow a forensic psychiatrist to give evidence.
Olav Nielssen assessed Daniel Billings but would not have been able to give evidence at the original hearing dates.
What's next?
The two-day sentencing hearing will now be held in Orange from September 3.
The sentencing of the man who murdered New South Wales woman Molly Ticehurst has been brought forward to allow a psychiatrist to give evidence.
In November last year Daniel Billings pleaded guilty to killing the 28-year-old at her home in Forbes in April 2024.
In May the Supreme Court heard that a forensic psychiatrist had found the 31-year-old had been affected by a depressive illness at the time of the murder.
A two-day sentencing hearing was due to be held at the Supreme Court in Orange in June, but was postponed until September 7 to allow the Crown to get its own expert assessment.
On Monday a brief hearing was held in the Supreme Court in Sydney, where Billings's solicitor Diane Elston filed a notice of motion and supporting affidavit.
Billings, dressed in prison greens, appeared in court via video link.
He spoke once during the short hearing, saying "yes, your honour", when Justice Natalie Adams asked if he could hear proceedings.
The affidavit states that Ms Elston arranged for her client to be "mentally assessed" by forensic psychiatrist Olav Nielssen.
It says Dr Nielssen assessed Billings "on three separate occasions in 2025 and 2026".
The court heard that Dr Nielssen would be outside the jurisdiction to give evidence at the two-day hearing in September.
Justice Adams told the court that the sentencing hearing would be moved forward to September 3 and 4 to allow the expert witness to appear.
Dr Nielssen is due to give evidence via video link.
The prosecution told the court that it was expecting its expert report by August 15.
The matter has been listed for a further directions hearing in the Supreme Court on August 7.
Open Questions
- What will the psychiatrist's evidence reveal?
- What will the final sentence be?
