Primary school teacher, 50, stabbed her cheating boyfriend in the neck after tying him to bed during sex – and then told friends she had Covid to buy time to bury him in garden, court hears

A primary school teacher stabbed her cheating boyfriend in the neck in a ‘horrifying domestic execution’ and then told her friends she had Covid to buy herself more time to bury him in their garden, a court heard today.

Fiona Beal, 50, lured builder Nick Billingham into the bedroom for sex and then stabbed him in the neck as he was tied to the bed on November 1, 2021, the Old Bailey was told.

Prosecutor Hugh Davies QC told the jury that Beal had planned the murder by purchasing a knife in advance.

The ‘highly skilled’ teacher then told friends the pair had tested positive for Covid-19 so she would not be disturbed as she buried her victim, 42, in the garden of their Northampton home, jurors heard.

His mummified body was found four months later, wrapped in tarps in a makeshift grave after Beal’s diaries – in which she plotted the murder as her alter ego ‘Tulip22’ – were recovered by police, it was said.

Beal then used her partner’s phone for months to message his friends and relatives, pretending he was still alive and had moved in with another woman, the court heard.

Beal admits manslaughter but denies murder and claims ‘loss of control’.

Billingham’s partially mummified remains were discovered four and a half months after he was last seen

Beal with Nick Billingham

Mr Billigham previously had affairs and moved out of the house, but the couple had reconciled, the court heard.

Mr Davies said: ‘Central to the plan was the knowledge that after stabbing him, claiming she had Covid, she would have ten days to bury him and cover up her crime.

‘And that’s exactly what happened. She thought about what time would be best to do that, or whether he would snore, but she knew or visualized that this would happen by stabbing him “from left to right, down slightly to the right.” And that’s what she did: she stabbed him in the jugular vein in his neck.

‘She returned a positive Covid test result on November 1. All you had to do was complete the NHS questionnaire online app and self-report a positive test.

‘There is no evidence that she ever took a PCR test. Her actions over the next ten days are completely inconsistent with the debilitating effects of Covid she claimed to be experiencing.”

He continued: “She murdered him in their bedroom late on November 1st. On November 2, the cleaning started at 1:07 am. Using her late partner’s account, and then her own on Amazon, she purchased multiple cleaning supplies, including for blinds, a new mop and bucket, ultra-heavy duty trash bags, a new mattress, bedding, clothing, wall art and mirrors .

‘This is thoughtful, controlled behavior that is intrinsically practical on the one hand and indulgent on the other.

‘Even more so because she must have literally seen her partner bleed to death before her eyes.

‘Later that same day she changes an order from Tesco, which itself already contained several cleaning products, by adding three rolls of duct tape.

Beal leaves B&Q in Northampton

Mr Billigham previously had affairs and moved out of the house, but the couple had reconciled, the court heard

Officers outside the couple’s home in Kingsley, Northamptonshire in April 2023

“At 2:19 p.m., she purchased heavy-duty long gardening gloves, a stainless steel backhoe, and a galvanized burning box for garden leaves. To state the obvious, this wasn’t for burning leaves.

‘More of the same followed over the next ten days. You will recall that at the same time she told friends, colleagues and family that she and Mr Billingham were in trouble with Covid.

‘She sent people a message about cleaning with virus bleach. This was the cover story, better described as a major deception, you might think.

‘There were further detailed and considered purchases on several other dates to continue and complete the work of cable tying, wrapping and burying her partner in this makeshift grave, as well as multiple purchases for her own comfort and pampering in in the form of chocolates, scented candles, toiletries, furnishings and clothing.

‘The way he was packed, with cables, hoses and plastic bags, and the construction waste did not offer him any dignity in death. It shows total contempt. She can’t have forgotten this.

“She now claims to have forgotten most of November 2021. The prosecutor invites you to reject that claim. It’s another instrumental lie designed to avoid a murder conviction.”

Beal demonized Mr Billigham and made himself look like the victim to family members she told him he had cheated, the court heard.

Mr Davies said: ‘All indications are that Mr Billingham was stabbed in the neck while in their bedroom wearing a face mask.

‘He was also tied up with cables, although it is not forensically possible to say whether this was before or after his death. Isn’t it more likely to prevent him from fighting back?’

Beal had written in her diary that Mr. Billingham asked, “Why?” after she stabbed him, the court heard.

Mr Davies said: ‘You are also likely to hear evidence from a psychologist and a psychiatrist.

“It’s up to you to decide whether her claimed amnesia is false; There is no conclusive test for that. It is up to you to determine the facts of the relationship, not experts.

“They may have based their opinions to varying degrees largely on accepting what she told them. If she lied to them, their respective opinions would be based on a false premise.”

In his opening address to the jury, barrister Andrew Wheeler QC said: ‘This case is not as simple as the prosecution suggests. Fiona Beal is a lady of good character, partner of Nick Billingham for 17 years, a hard-working and much-loved teacher.

‘A lady about whom you will hear many good things said. So how does that person suddenly resume killing?

‘What this case is really about is her state of mind at the time she carried out the act. What caused that dramatic change, what was the catalyst that led to these very tragic circumstances?

‘You will hear evidence that Ms Beal had mental health problems, but was also in a coercive and controlling relationship with Mr Billingham. Her actions and thoughts were constantly controlled and manipulated by him, not necessarily through physical threats, although occasionally you will hear that there were such physical threats.

‘He was physically dominant and over the years he wore her down until she was literally broken.

“You will also hear that Ms. Beal could not remember any details of what happened.

“As you heard from the prosecutor, she left notes referring to the murder.

‘They were not the recordings of a manipulative and cold-blooded murderer, as the prosecution says: would such a murderer leave such an easily identifiable trail of evidence? Instead, these notes are clear evidence of a disturbed mind.

‘Loss of control may provide a partial defense to murder and in this case we will suggest that Ms Beal’s loss of control arose from events relating to Mr Billingham’s continued conduct and treatment of her.

‘Mr Billingham could be charming, he could come across as the good guy when he wanted to, for example in his workplace.

‘But as the evidence unfolds you may hear questions asked and evidence that could be described as a bad side of Mr Billingham’s character and also about his peculiar and sometimes rude behavior in the company of others.

‘The purpose of this is not to speak ill of the dead or to be disrespectful to him or his family, but to give you an indication of him as a person and how he might react to the company of others – and this can provide some indication as to what may have happened behind closed doors.’

The trial, which will take six weeks, continues.