Mum of girl, 14, killed by dad in kitchen ‘play-fight’ calls for his release from prison

The mother of a teenage girl who was fatally stabbed by her father has called for his release from prison.

Sarah Hall has insisted that her partner of 27 years, Simon Vickers, would 'never harm' their tragic daughter Scarlett intentionally, despite him being found guilty of her murder.

The 50-year-old was sentenced to life in prison and will serve a minimum of 15 years behind bars after a 'play fight' between him and the teenager turned sinister.

Scarlett suffered a 11cm-deep wound after a knife was plunged into her chest in the kitchen of her family home in Darlington and died from 'catastrophic bleeding'.

Vickers maintained his innocence throughout his trial, insisting he did not mean to kill his daughter and that he thought he'd grabbed kitchen tongs rather than a blade.

The dad - who had been drinking wine, watching the Euros football and had smoked cannabis earlier in the day - and his daughter were initially throwing grapes at each other for fun.

Simon Vickers was sentenced to life behind bars (Durham Police/PA)

Speaking to the BBC, Hall recounted the details of what went down on that fateful day, and how a 'fun fight' had ended in devastation.

The mother, who was the only other person present, said she thought it was 'absurd' that Vickers had been found guilty of the crime, which all stemmed from the family 'mucking about by the back door'.

She explained that although he could have pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter and received a lesser sentence, the dad was determined to 'stand up in court and tell them that he would never, ever harm' Scarlett.

Hall said she 'thought she'd misheard' the verdict when it was read out, saying that her partner of almost three decades 'never had a flash of anger' and was 'understanding, comforting and very supportive'.

"I was there that night," the mum continued. "There were no arguments. There was no temper, no shouting.

"It's just been a never-ending nightmare. How can I blame him for an accident when I know he's in as much pain as I am?

"If I thought he'd done it deliberately then no, I wouldn't have been here [doing this interview]. I would have protected her with my life, as would he."

Vickers' sentence will be reviewed by the Court of Appeal after Solicitor General Lucy Rigby KC said she believed it was 'unduly lenient'.

"It is now for the court to decide whether to increase the sentence," a spokesperson for the Attorney General's Office said previously.

The judge said Vickers' version of events was 'unconvincing and wholly implausible' (Family Handout/Durham Police)

Hall had told Teesside Crown Court how Scarlett had then snipped at her father with the kitchen tongs and called him 'wimpy' when he said it hurt.

The mum claimed she then turned away to continue preparing food, before she then heard Scarlett yelp out in pain, only to turn around and see her bleeding profusely.

The parents insisted the 14-year-old's death was a result of a 'freak accident', but a pathologist said that it was 'practically impossible' for the fatal injury to have been caused in the way Vickers claimed.

He was found guilty of murder, with the jury passing up the lesser charge of manslaughter, although the dad maintains that he accidentally swiped the knife across Scarlett's chest without ill intent.

Hall - who was also initially charged with murder, before the case against her was later dropped - has continued to support her other half and back up the version of events he provided to police.

Scarlett's grandfather also said Vickers would 'never in a million years have hurt her deliberately' after he was sentenced last month.

Her relatives have also attempted to reconstruct the crime scene in the hopes of working out how the young girl ended up being stabbed.

Hall remains adamant that her partner did not intend to take Scarlett's life and how she will continue to stand by Vickers throughout his life sentence.