Molly Ticehurst’s killer Daniel Billings pleads guilty to her murder

He appeared in Dubbo Local Court seeking bail on 6 April 2024.

But it was a Saturday, which meant no judge was present to hear the case, as is long-standing practice in the country’s courts.

Instead, it fell to the court recorder, who decided to release Billings on $5,000 bail. Two weeks later, Billings killed Ticehurst in his home.

Premier Chris Minns acknowledged Ticehurst had been failed by the state’s justice system, admitting his government had “serious questions” to answer in the weeks after the murder.

“This was a very horrific death. Can I just say that Molly is clearly disappointed in the system? The status quo is not working. We need to look at change to keep people safe, especially while we wait for justice,” he said.