Scarlett Vickers' family in 'crime scene reconstruction' to clear dad of 'play fight' murder

Scarlett Vickers, 14, died astatine the hands of her begetter Simon who has been jailed for life, but loved ones are convinced of his innocence and Scarlett's mum Sarah Hall has vowed to basal by him

The household of the dada jailed for beingness for murdering his girl are trying 'crime country reconstruction' successful a bid to strenghten his entreaty against conviction.

Simon Vickers was said to person struck the slayer weapon stroke successful a acceptable of choler astatine Scarlett Vickers, 14, aft she called him a 'wimp'. The 50-year-old mill idiosyncratic indispensable service a minimum of 15 years aft stabbing his lone kid successful the heart, causing fatal injuries.

He had fixed assorted versions of however it happened, including 'throwing' the leaf astatine her accidentally successful a 'play fight' successful the room of their location successful Darlington, Co Durham past July. Scarlett's mum Sarah Hall, his parents Barrie and Pat and their families are lasting by him.

Sarah's sister Rebecca Hall revealed that she had been trying to recognize what happened successful the pb up to Scarlett's decease and reconstructing the incidental astatine her ain home. "I person been doing it successful the room and looking astatine however the weapon could person moved," she said.

"If it was speedy erstwhile Scarlett was going towards the weapon arsenic Simon swiped it and the tongs past it is imaginable that could person caused the injury. I person looked astatine the biology of it excessively and the insubstantial wherever the weapon went successful is very, precise soft. There could person been capable unit to spell into the heart."

Rebecca, 42, a mum-of-two, added: "Scarlett could person been successful a presumption wherever she was lasting implicit the knife. If Simon had his manus connected the weapon connected the chopping committee past I deliberation could person gone guardant and leant into it. He is uncertain himself however it happened but helium remembered getting the tongs and I deliberation that helium has enactment his manus down connected the weapon and swiped it on the room surface.

"If she darted towards it to drawback it, that is however it could person happened. If she had her caput down and leant forward, it is imaginable the weapon would person gone into her ribs. They were messing around, determination was nary aggression. She did not accidental thing similar 'dad has a knife' oregon 'he is going to wounded me'. Surely she would person said thing beforehand?"

A assemblage recovered Vickers blameworthy of execution aft an adept said it was 'practically impossible' to origin the fatal wounded successful the mode which helium claimed. Teesside crown court heard Scarlett's mum Sarah Hall had pinched Vickers connected the bottommost with room tongs moments earlier the fatal stroke was struck.

He reacted by saying 'ow' and Scarlett told him: 'Dad, don't beryllium a wimp'. Sarah turned distant and erstwhile she turned back, she recovered her girl with humor pouring from the weapon coiled to the heart. Judge Mr Justice Cotter was satisfied that Vickers had acted successful a 'devastating' infinitesimal of choler and was intent connected causing superior harm adjacent if helium did not mean to kill.

Judge Mr Justice Cotter said Sarah turned her backmost and heard Simon accidental 'how would you similar it?' aft Scarlett called him a wimp. Sentencing him to beingness successful situation connected Monday, helium told Vickers: "Exactly what past happened, lone you know. Scarlett said Ow Ow and Sarah Hall turned to spot her injured.

"There was nary weapon successful her because, I americium satisfied, you had taken it out, arsenic portion of the stabbing motion. It would not person been imaginable for Sarah Hall to person missed it unless it was already backmost connected the room aboveground wherever you placed it and it was aboriginal noted to beryllium erstwhile the paramedics arrived. Sarah wept successful the nationalist gallery, comforted by Simon's mum Pat, arsenic Scarlett's injuries were outlined. Mark McKone KC, prosecuting, said that Vickers had a erstwhile condemnation from 1993 erstwhile helium was 19 for wounding with intent with a Stanley knife.

He was sentenced to 2 years successful jailhouse and besides had a condemnation for insignificant dishonesty successful 1999. But the justice ruled that the convictions were excessively agelong agone to beryllium taken into relationship successful his condemnation for murder. Nicholas Lumley KC, for Vickers, said that helium and Scarlett’s mum’s Sarah Hall were serving beingness sentences 'from which they volition ne'er beryllium freed' owed to their loss. “Simon Vickers has ever accepted that his actions brought astir the decease of his lone child," helium added. “Sarah Hall has remained resolute successful her content that the begetter of her lone kid did not mean to mean to origin immoderate harm and his parents are of the aforesaid view. None of them tin judge helium is to beryllium known arsenic Scarlett’s murderer.”

Neighbours astatine the household location said Sarah had not been seen determination for immoderate time. "It is simply a tragedy," said one. "As a street, we are trying to determination on, but it is unspeakable for Scarlett's parents and their families." Speaking aft Vickers was sentenced, Det Supt Craig Rudd, who led the probe for Durham Constabulary, said: “Had helium not picked up that knife, Scarlett would inactive beryllium live today. This has been an incredibly heartbreaking lawsuit for everyone involved. Our thoughts stay with those who cared astir Scarlett.” Christopher Atkinson of the CPS said it was 'difficult to understand' what motivated Simon Vickers to instrumentality the beingness of his daughter.

"In the lack of a plausible mentation connected his part, we whitethorn ne'er afloat recognize what led to her tragic death," helium added. “What is abundantly wide is that the relationship provided by Simon Vickers was wholly inconsistent with the forensic grounds successful this case. Crucially, the aesculapian adept we instructed to analyse Scarlett’s injuries made it wide that they could lone person been caused had the weapon been firmly gripped arsenic it made contact. We admit that the quality of this lawsuit volition person been incredibly emotive for Scarlett’s family, and our thoughts are with them astatine what indispensable stay a precise hard time.”