Body found in Northampton garden identified as Nicholas Billingham as Fiona Beal charged with murder

Forensic officers at the scene in Moore Street, Kingsley, Northampton following a discovery of a body in a rear garden. The remains are expected be taken to Leicester where they will be forensically examined by a Home Office pathologist but are believed to be that of a missing 42-year-old male. The investigation was mounted following the arrest of Fiona Beal, 48, at a hotel in Cumbria early on Wednesday morning. She has now been charged with murder. Picture date: Sunday March 20, 2022.
Police on the scene at Moore Street, Northampton, where the body of Nicholas Billingham was found buried in a garden. Credit: Press Association

A primary school teacher has appeared in court charged with the murder of a missing man after a body was found buried in her garden.

Fiona Beal, 48, appeared before magistrates in Northampton on Monday.

She is accused of murdering 42-year-old Nicholas Billingham some time between 31 October 2021 and 10 November 2021. A body was found buried in the rear garden of Beal’s home in Moore Street in Northampton on Saturday. Beal, who had blonde hair and wore a grey long sleeved top, spoke only to confirm her name and address during the short hearing.

She was arrested at a hotel in Cumbria shortly after midnight on Wednesday - the same day Northamptonshire Police began conducting an extensive search of her home.

Forensic officers and specialist search teams, including a cadaver dog, were deployed to the address before the discovery was made on Saturday.

Police said the remains were expected be taken to Leicester to be forensically examined by a Home Office pathologist.

Beal was accompanied by a lone female dock officer during the hearing at Northampton Magistrates' Court, which lasted just two minutes.

She was remanded in custody and is due to appear at Northampton Crown Court on Tuesday.

Beal had been working as a teacher at Eastfield Academy, a primary school in Northampton.

Following her court appearance, a spokesman for the school said: "We were shocked and saddened to hear that one of our teaching staff has been charged with a very serious offence and is now remanded in custody.

"We are particularly mindful of the impact this news will have on the children, and will be doing everything we can to support both pupils and staff as we work through this difficult time together.

"This is an appalling tragedy that will shake our school community to its roots and it's at times like this that we must rally around each other, support each other, and be kind to each other."