Father of Mylee Billingham sentenced to life in prison for her murder

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The father of eight-year-old Mylee Billingham has been jailed for life, with a minimum term of 27 years, for the "brutal, cowardly" murder of his daughter.

55-year-old William Billingham used a kitchen knife to kill Mylee Billingham in a "revenge attack" aimed at causing pain to her mother, the judge said.

William Billingham was sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court Credit: West Midlands Police

He dragged her by the coat into his bungalow in Brownhills in January, moments after holding the blade to the neck of her mother, Tracey Taundry.

A trial at Birmingham Crown Court heard how Miss Taundry dialled 999 from outside Billingham's house, telling operators to hurry as Mylee was screaming "stop it daddy".

Myllee Billingham was murdered by her father with a kitchen knife Credit: West Midlands Police

Passing sentence at Birmingham Crown Court, Judge Paul Farrer QC said: "This offence was driven by jealousy and anger. You killed her in order to cause pain to her mother. As such, this was an act of revenge. Ultimately, this was the brutal, cowardly killing of a defenceless and much-loved child, who had her whole life ahead of her."