Scarlett Vickers: Mum of Darlington teen killed by dad still 'standing by him'
The mum of Scarlett Vickers, who was murdered by her own father, is standing by her husband and believes her death was 'definitely an accident'.
50-year-old Simon Vickers of Geneva Road in Darlington on Monday (January 27) was found guilty of murdering his own daughter - 14-year-old Scarlett Vickers.
Scarlett collapsed and died after she suffered an 11cm-deep knife wound to her chest when she was playfighting in their Darlington home on July 5 of last year.
Simon Vickers. (Image: Durham Police/PA Wire) Jurors at Teesside Crown Court heard how the 50-year-old maintained that he accidentally swept a knife towards his daughter as he attempted to grab a pair of kitchen tongs as their horseplay ended in tragedy.
However, it has now emerged that Simon Vickers' wife and mum to Scarlett, Sarah Hall, is reluctant to accept the guilty verdict.
As reported by Mail Online, Ms Hall, 44, is struggling to cope with the tragedy.
Sarah's mother, Elaine Hall, 65, told Mail Online: "If Sarah thought he had done anything to her, she’d have been out of there.
"It’s definitely just been an accident because there’s no way he would have harmed her. She’s lost her daughter and now she hasn’t got Simon to lean on.
Scarlett Vickers. (Image: TIKTOK) "We've talked to each other over the phone but at the moment, I think she's too upset to say anything."
Jurors deliberated for more than 13 hours before returning the guilty verdict, and Vickers showed no visible emotion when they returned their majority verdict of 10-2.
During the trial, footage showed the 50-year-old was clearly distressed when paramedics arrived at the family home on Geneva Road, Darlington, in a desperate attempt to save the teenager’s life.
Tributes left at the family home on Geneva Road. (Image: NEWSQUEST) Jurors later watched footage from inside Darlington police station as he was told the devastating news his daughter had died.
They watched as he held his head in his hands saying 'no' before dropping his head onto the counter saying 'I want to die. She's the light of my life, if she is gone, I'm gone.
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"How the f*** has this happened? I don't believe it."
And during police interview, he said ‘I must be the unluckiest man in the world’ as he maintained he had accidentally stabbed the teenager.
Mr Justice Cotter remanded the defendant in custody until he is sentenced on February 10.