The family of Molly Ticehurst is facing renewed distress after her convicted murderer, Daniel Billings, filed a notice of intention to appeal his 28-year jail sentence, a move that could delay any public release of a critical government review into domestic violence services.
Billings, 31, a former mine worker, was sentenced in September for the domestic violence murder of Ms Ticehurst in Forbes, central western NSW. The attack, which occurred in April 2024, was described by the court as an act of revenge after Ms Ticehurst reported allegations of rape to police. He broke into her home and stabbed her 15 times.
Justice Natalie Adams of the NSW Supreme Court set a non-parole period of 20 years on September 11, a sentence that drew widespread criticism for being too lenient. The NSW Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions confirmed on Friday it would not challenge the sentence, but Billings filed a last-minute notice of intention to appeal the same day.
According to a statement from the NSW Supreme Court on Monday night, Billings now has one year to lodge a formal notice of appeal. The development dashes the family's hopes of obtaining answers about Ms Ticehurst's interactions with domestic violence support services before her death.
Why the appeal delays the release of a government review
Ms Ticehurst's mother, Kate Shaw, had publicly urged Premier Chris Minns to release a government report into her daughter's contact with the Staying Home Leaving Violence scheme, a program designed to help victims improve home security. The NSW government has stated it will release the review once legal proceedings are finalised, a timeline that could now extend beyond a year if the appeal proceeds.
In a statement after Billings was jailed, Ms Shaw said:
She was my only child, was much loved and is sorely missed by me, her father Tony, her son, her extended family and many friends.
Timeline of a lengthy legal battle
The Ticehurst family waited more than 800 days for Billings to be sentenced, including 18 months of closed-door legal negotiations. Those negotiations resulted in sexual assault charges against Billings being dropped when he pleaded guilty to the murder in November 2025.
Billings had a history of threats and abuse. After Ms Ticehurst ended their on-and-off relationship in December 2023, he repeatedly threatened to kill her. She reported him to police in early April 2024, leading to charges of sexual assault, domestic violence stalking, and intimidation.
He was also charged with animal cruelty after admitting he killed Ms Ticehurst's dachshund puppy with a hammer following an earlier breakup in mid-2023. Billings spent one night in police custody but was released on bail by a local court registrar a fortnight before the murder, as no judge was on duty that weekend. The court heard that upon his release, Billings became enraged and obsessed with the belief he had been wrongfully accused of rape, forming a plan to kill her.
Community reaction to the appeal
Orange independent MP Philip Donato, a vocal critic of the original sentence, described the news of the likely appeal as shocking.
He told AAP on Monday:
(It's) just adding to the stress and ongoing trauma of Molly's family, friends and community.
The appeal process is expected to prolong the legal proceedings, leaving the Ticehurst family and the Forbes community in continued uncertainty.
Support services
- 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)
- Lifeline 13 11 14
- Men's Referral Service 1300 766 491
- National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028