Teacher ‘lured cheating boyfriend to bedroom for sex, tied him up and knifed him to death before burying body in garden’
A TEACHER lured her cheating boyfriend to the bedroom for sex before stabbing him to death and burying him in the garden, a court heard.
Fiona Beal, 50, allegedly tied Nicholas Billingham, 42, to the bed then murdered him “in cold blood” at their Northampton home.
Jurors heard she then pretended to be her boyfriend in messages sent from his phone in a move that was “as heartless as it was self-serving”.
The Year 6 teacher claimed Nicholas had run off with another woman and received a “sympathetic” response over the apparent break up.
But as Nicholas’ body rotted in the back garden, the Old Bailey was told Beal’s mental health started to deteriorate.
In March 2022 – four months after the alleged murder – police were called to a holiday cabin she had rented in Cumbria amid concerns for her welfare.
Jurors heard officers discovered journals where Beal outlined her plans under her alter ego “Tulip 22”, which showed a “wholly different side to her personality”.
Beal wrote in one entry: “Still my actions haunt me. I sometimes have to catch myself and remember what I did and then remember my cover story – neither seem convincing.”
In another, she said: “It was harder than I thought it would be. Hiding a body was bad. Moving a body is much more difficult than it looks on TV.”
The court was told Beal also claimed she was “controlled and manipulated” by Nicholas as she explained “why she killed him as she did”.
Prosecutor Hugh Davies KC said: “They certainly do contain some unambiguously clear declarations of what she had done. These parts were not just her truth, but the truth. What was this?
“The short answer is that she had planned to, and had, killed him in cold blood. She had purchased a forged handled utility knife in the days before. She had a chisel and cable ties.
“Promising sex after a bath, she stabbed him in the neck when he was wearing a sleep mask and was probably cabled-tied on their bed.”
Jurors heard police discovered Nicholas had not been seen since or spoken to since November 1, 2021.
At the time, Beal had claimed she was isolating for Covid to buy herself at least ten days without anyone visiting, it was said.
She allegedly used the break to buy “multiple items” to help her dispose of Nicholas’ body.
The court heard that after killing the builder, Beal wrapped his body up and dragged him down the stairs despite his 14st frame.
She then buried him in the garden in a “de facto coffin” made of breeze blocks, timber and sheets.
Beal also added a plant pot for “decorative effect”, jurors heard.
Mr Davies said: “This was a major job, requiring her to plan what was needed, order it, collect it, burn other incriminating material in an incinerator in the garden and carry on throughout as if nothing remarkable was occurring.
“The body was partly decomposed, indeed mummified and on its back. The head was wrapped in black plastic, a knotted hose pipe, cable and plastic ties were in the same area.”
Beal has admitted manslaughter by reason of a loss of control but denies murder between October 30 and November 10, 2021.
The trial continues.
