A father accused of murdering his 14-year-old daughter by stabbing her within the coronary heart advised emergency providers they have been simply play-fighting within the kitchen on the time, a court docket has heard.
Simon Vickers, 50, denies each the homicide and manslaughter of his daughter Scarlett Vickers within the kitchen of their household dwelling in Darlington on 5 July final yr.
He advised police they’d been taking part in, after which the following second blood was “gushing” from the woman’s chest, Teesside Crown Courtroom heard.
However the prosecution advised jurors this was not an accident.
‘Messing round in a standard playful manner’
Defence barrister Nicholas Lumley KC mentioned the daddy and daughter had been “messing round collectively within the kitchen, in a standard playful manner” when Vickers realised Scarlett had been injured.
He continued: “Her physique should have come into contact with a pointy knife and she or he shortly died because of a single knife wound.
“He, Simon Vickers, will bear ethical duty for his daughter’s dying for the remainder of his life.
“Nevertheless, he denies utterly that he did something illegal or consider to trigger that tragic dying.”
Scarlett’s mom Sarah Corridor was additionally current within the kitchen and tried to save lots of {the teenager} as she bled to dying on the ground after struggling an 11cm wound to her chest.
Ms Corridor known as 999 and mentioned Vickers and Scarlett had been “messing about” and that her companion had thrown one thing at their daughter.
‘Chucking knives at one another’
Vickers advised paramedic Andrew Crow that his daughter had lunged in direction of him throughout a bout of play-fighting, the court docket heard.
Mark McKone KC, prosecuting, advised jurors Mr Crow described how Vickers and Ms Corridor have been initially uncertain how Scarlett was injured.
The prosecution added: “Mr Crow mentioned that the defendant picked up a knife off the facet counter of the kitchen and mentioned: ‘We have been messing on, we have been play-fighting and she or he lunged in direction of me and it simply went in’.”
Ms Corridor talked about that Vickers had picked up a spatula and “not realised the knife was with it”, jurors have been advised.
Mr Crow pronounced Scarlett useless at 11.50pm, round an hour after arriving on the home.
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‘It was nothing – I do not perceive’
Ms Corridor mentioned she had received a knife out to chop garlic bread and her companion had picked it up with out realising, the trial was advised.
Vickers mentioned they have been “intoxicated” consuming wine, after a “good day” watching soccer.
Jurors have been advised officers heard Vickers say: “It wasn’t even exhausting, it was nothing, I do not perceive.”
He made a swiping movement and mentioned: “There wasn’t even any effort into it.”
The court docket heard that after his arrest, Vickers, talking on the police station, mentioned: “We have been simply taking part in within the kitchen, I do not know the way this occurred, one minute I used to be cooking, subsequent there’s blood gushing out of her chest.”
Throughout a police interview, when requested if he was chargeable for his daughter’s dying, Mr McKone advised the court docket Vickers mentioned: “I have to be.”
The court docket heard he advised detectives his companion was cooking, Scarlett threw some grapes at him, he threw some again after which threw some tongs at her.
Vickers mentioned now he knew he picked up the blade however that he didn’t see it on the time.
The knife that allegedly injured Scarlett. Pic: PA
“The prosecution says that the wound is just too deep to have been brought about by accident,” Mr McKone advised jurors.
Mr McKone added that forensic scientist Gemma Escott had studied the knife and judged that the fabric on the blade indicated a stabbing movement had been used.
The trial was adjourned till Thursday.
