A cannabis-smoking father who put his teenage daughter dead during a kitchen game fight is imprisoned for life.
Simon Vickers, 50, collapsed a knife 11 cm into his daughter Scarlett's chest, 14, who pierced her heart and caused catastrophic blood loss.
The warehouse worker claimed that his only child died in a 'freak accident' in their house in Darlington, County Durham, when he fought a knife over a kitchen workshop in July.
He later told the police in his arrest: “I have to be the unfortunate man in the world.”
But jury members rejected his version of events and substantiated him from murder after an expert pathologist concluded that the 11 cm stab wound could not have been inflicted by accident.
Vickers will have to serve in prison for at least 15 years before he can request conditional release.
Soon Mr. Justice Cotter said to Vickers: 'Scarlett was a normal, healthy young girl, with a long life for her, when it was broken off by you.
'She died in the kitchen of her own house within a few minutes after she was stabbed.
'It went from a normal, happy family on Friday evening to a tragedy within a few seconds, because of what your shipping loss of mood must have been. There is no other plausible explanation. You have never given a truthful explanation about what happened. '
Simon Vickers, 50, (depicted) crashed a knife 11 cm in the chest of daughter Scarlett, 14, which pierced her heart and caused catastrophic blood loss
Scarlett, 14, (photo) was killed last year by her father during a 'play fight' in the kitchen
Sarah Hall, the mother Scarlett, arrives at Tesside Crown Court to see her partner Vickers are convicted
Emergency services were called to the semi-detached house of the family in Geneva (photo) on July 5 last year to see that Scarlett collapsed on the kitchen floor
He added: “Only you know exactly what happened on that Friday evening on that kitchen, which led you to stab your own daughter in what should have been in the safety of your own house.”
Emergency services were called to the semi-detached house of the family in Geneva Road shortly before 11 p.m. last year.
Scarlett was found from bleeding with a knife wound that was pierced by her pajamas and in her chest and heart.
Vickers, who had consumed four glasses of wine and had smoked half a cannabis joint, the police said that the couple 'just made it around' while his partner Sarah Hall Spaghetti Bolognaise cooked for their supper, enjoyed a 'nice' evening watching the European Championship football.
While he was booked in detention at the Darlington police station, Vickers said: 'We took around, played in the kitchen and for some reason this has become really weird.
“We took around. I can't believe this.
'Please tell me. What's going on? We go on holiday to F ****** Gran Canaria in six weeks. F ****** Hell. I don't believe this happens. '
Vickers, who worked in the 3M production factory in Newton Aycliffe, insisted that he was because he did not deliberately grabbed a knife and believed that he had 'swept' a few kitchen tongs to Scarlett while he was 'horse game' busy .
Scarlett died of fast blood loss after the knife had pierced her chest and her heart
Sarah Hall, the mother of the 14-year-old Scarlett, who stood at Vickers after the tragedy
Scarlett, seen in a tap video, was found by paramedics who killed the kitchen floor and could not be saved
Scarlett placed a tragic last tap video that posed her in her bedroom mirror, just a few hours before her death
While he accepted that he must have caused the fatal wound, he denied both murder and manslaughter.
Later he told the jury of a 'theory' that Scarlett then accidentally came to the knife after it has 'hit the side of the hot plate and put it over the side of the counter'.
No motive was brought forward by the persecution why Vickers Scarlett killed.
But they said his report the findings of pathologist Dr. Jennifer Bolton did not state that a casual stabbing was' practically impossible 'and that the knife must be held with a' strong grip ''
Mr. Justice Cotter said that the power used was not 'insignificant' and that Vickers had acted in a 'flash of anger'.
He said: 'Simon Vickers, you gave several reports about what happened, in particular that she had accidentally stabbed that you had thrown knives, that you had thrown a spatula or tongs, who was Scarlett to the knife, and and That your tongs were on the swipe along the kitchen surface.
'Indeed, the non -transmitting and completely unbelievable version of events that you have given to the jury that you have tanged along the kitchen surface before they flew into the air, and that you were not even aware of a knife before or after Scarlett injury on .
“Indeed, you said the knife was not in a comparison, except when Sarah Hall had cut the onions.
Elaine Hall (left) depicted with her arm around her granddaughter Scarlett
'Given the proof of the pathologist, this was clearly not true. She came through that fatal injury through your hand. '
Vickers retains the support of his partner Sarah, 44, parents Barrie, 78 and Patricia, 75, and wider family members who still believe that he is innocent.
Sarah was initially accused of murder, but the prosecution was fell for her partner's process, in which she gave proof on his behalf.
She described Scarlett as' my number one, my best friend, my little girl 'and said to the court:' It was an accident, I know he would never harm her.
“She always came first for both of us.”
The court heard that Scarlett was a 'wonder baby' who arrived despite the fact that Vickers and Sarah were told that they would probably not have children.
Nicholas Lumley, KC, who defended Vickers, said: 'Each of those who have been left by Scarlett has opened their own lifelong penalties that none of them will ever be free.
'Simon Vickers has always accepted that he brought about the death of his only child through his actions.
“Both Scarlett's parents could not believe that their only child had died that night.
“And Sarah Hall remains determined in her conviction that the father of their only child Scarlett was not planning and his parents are the same position.
Flowers of tribute and balloons (depicted in July) remained left outside the tragedy of the teenager after the tragedy
“None of them can in fact believe that he is now known as Scarlett's murderer.”
Mr Lumley added: 'In almost any case in which a parent is convicted of killing a child, there are statements from the remaining parents, the grandparents, the child's friends, staff at school – all kinds of sources.
'Where they not only speak about their loss, but also their desire for revenge, their insatiable desire for the court to impose the greatest possible punishment to the murderer of a child.
“My Lord knows, there is no here.”
Vickers was previously convicted in 1993 for the injury of a man with a 19 -year -old Stanley knife, the court heard.
Scarlett's death led to an outpouring of sorrow with her main teacher, Su Gill, Van Haughton Academy School, who described her as a 'beautiful, respectful and polite girl'.
'Scarlett was a sweet girl and an important member of the Haughton Academy Community.
“She always became flawless, respectful and polite.”
The judge said he believed that Vickers had drunk more than the four glasses of red wine that he claimed and that he took to Scarlett in a 'flash of anger'.
He said: 'Scarlett came home and was in her bedroom while watching football on television.
'You then came to Sarah Hall while she cooked your supper. Scarlett came down at about 10.15 pm to participate with you in that small kitchen.
“She and her mother threw grapes. You wanted them to stop.
'You squeezed Sarah Hall on the bottom from behind with some cooking tongs.
“As you turned around, she caught your finger with the tongs and you said” Ow, Scarlett. ” She then said words to the effect of 'daddy, no wimp'.
“Sarah Hall turned her back on to resume cooking and heard you say to Scarlett,” how would you like it? '
“Exactly what happened then, only you know.”
Mr. Justice Cotter added: “Although you accepted, it was your actions that caused her death, your beloved daughter earned the truth, but you didn't give it.”
Christopher Atkinson, head of the complex casework unit for CPS North East, said: 'It's hard to understand what Simon Vickers motivated to take his daughter's life, Scarlett. In the absence of a plausible explanation from his part, we will never be able to understand the circumstances that have led to her tragic death.
'What is obvious is that the account of Simon Vickers was completely inconsistent with forensic evidence in this case. It is crucial that the medical expert we instructed to investigate the injuries of Scarlett made it clear that they could only have been caused if the knife was firmly grabbed when the contact made.
'The Crown Prosecution Service has worked closely with the Durham police to build a robust case against Simon Vickers, so that he secured his conviction, so that he was convicted of her murder today.
“We appreciate that the nature of this case would have been incredibly emotional for the family of Scarlett, and our thoughts are with them in what should stay a very difficult time.”
