Man who murdered daughter in play-fight avoids longer jail term

Court of appeal rules Simon Vickers’ 15-year sentence was ‘merciful’ but not unduly lenient

A father who murdered his 14-year-old daughter by stabbing her in the heart while “mucking around” in a play-fight will not have his sentence increased, judges have ruled.

Simon Vickers was jailed for life with a minimum term of 15 years in February after being found guilty of the murder of his daughter, Scarlett, in what the trial judge called a “momentary but devastating act of anger”.