A composite created on Thursday, September 3, 2026 of Forbes childcare worker Molly Ticehurst and a court sketch of her killer, ex-partner Daniel Billings. [Photo Credit: AAP Graphic/Susie Dodds / Pictures: Lukas Coch, Rocco Fazzari, Murray McCloskey]

As Daniel Billings drove away after murdering Molly Ticehurst in a frenzied stabbing, he raised a bloodied hand to his face and recorded a chilling video message.

“I can’t believe I just did that.”

Gasps were heard in the NSW Supreme Court in Orange, central western NSW, as the footage of him driving through dark streets after killing his ex-girlfriend was played during a sentencing hearing on Thursday afternoon.

Billings has pleaded guilty to murdering Ms Ticehurst in April 2024 in her home in Forbes, a crime that became a flashpoint for a national movement against domestic and gendered violence.

The video was one of many played at the hearing, with others showing Billings weeping, smoking, spitting and swearing in more than an hour of footage that foreshadowed his plan to harm Ms Ticehurst.

In a recording some hours before the April 21 murder, Billings stared straight into the camera and snarled: “Molly Jean Ticehurst, well you’ve done it, you’ve succeeded in whatever you wanted out of all of this.”

Billings ultimately smashed Ms Ticehurst’s bedroom window and used a hunting knife to stab her 15 times in an attack that lasted less than a minute, according to a statement of agreed facts before the court.

Her body was found in the early hours of the next day, dressed in pyjamas with a hammer near her leg.

Billings, a trainee mining driller, had repeatedly threatened to break into her home and kill her in the weeks and months before.

Ms Ticehurst made a statement to police about a fortnight before she died, leading to Billings being charged with several counts of sexual assault and domestic violence offences.

Police opposed bail, but a local court registrar granted Billings conditional freedom after he spent one night in police custody.

Upon his release on bail, Billings developed a dark obsession with clearing his name as a rapist.

In the videos played to court, he repeatedly claimed to be wrongfully accused of sexual assault.

“I didn’t ask for this war,” he said in one recording.

“I will not wear punishment … for something I did not do.

“If I’m going to be punished either way, OK, I’m going to go crazy.”

The Ticehurst family were in court watching the recordings, after earlier delivering victim impact statements.

Ms Ticehurst’s father Tony Ticehurst described his daughter as big-hearted and deeply loved, his best friend and confidant.

“When she died, part of me died with her,” Mr Ticehurst said, his voice heavy with emotion.

Mr Ticehurst addressed Billings directly several times, describing him as selfish and saying he hoped his daughter would haunt him.

“I hope that every night Molly’s screams keep you awake,” he said.

Ms Ticehurst’s mother Kate held her hand tightly over her face as her victim impact statement was read aloud by a relative.

“Molly was my only child and my best friend,” her statement said.

“I’m heartbroken that my girl is no longer with me.”

Billings, wearing a black suit and sneakers, has been sitting in an elevated wooden dock listening to proceedings.

He bowed his head during the victim impact statements and leaned down to stare at his hands while the videos were played.

bout 50 of Ms Ticehurst’s family and friends have gathered for the hearing, some wearing shirts saying “Her name was Molly”.

Ms Ticehurst’s murder led to legal changes in NSW, including tighter bail laws for people accused of domestic violence.

Her father said that had brought some comfort.

“Molly’s law has now been introduced; I will be forever proud to be her dad.”

The charges of sexual assault were withdrawn after Billings pleaded guilty to murder in the local court in November 2025.

Charges of property damage, animal cruelty offences and breaching the apprehended violence order will be taken into consideration in Billings’ sentence.

Justice Natalie Adams has indicated she will hand down her sentence later in September.