Warning: This article includes descriptions of domestic violence and murder.The killer of childcare worker Molly Ticehurst has been sentenced to 28 years in jail.Daniel Billings, 31, was sentenced in the Orange Supreme Court today by Justice Natalie Adams, who imposed a non-parole period of 20 years.He broke into his ex-partner's Forbes home through a bedroom window just before 11:30pm on 21 April 2024, and stabbed her several times, including to the face and neck."Billings was aware that Ticehurst had previously told police about her fears that he would break through the window and get to her before police could get there," Justice Adams said."Billings ultimately chose to carry out the fatal assault by doing exactly what he threatened to do."It must have been absolutely terrifying for Ticehurst to die knowing her worst fears had been realised."Billings pleaded guilty to the offence in November last year.He killed the mother of one while he was on bail for charges against Ticehurst, including sexual assault, stalking and intimidation. Ticehurst had an apprehended domestic violence order (AVO) against him."Nothing I do in sentencing Billings today, nor anything I say in explaining the reasons for that sentence, can bring Molly Ticehurst back or provide her family with any meaningful closure or relief," Justice Adams told the court."All I can do is acknowledge their grief and sentence Billings according to law."Justice Adams noted the victim impact statements read to the court during last week's sentencing hearing, including one from Ticehurst's father."Ticehurst … expressed the immense pain of losing his daughter Molly," she said."He lives now with ongoing trauma, struggling to sleep at night and replaying what happened over and over in his mind."He spoke to how much Molly's death has impacted on her son, who experiences nightmares about also being stabbed in his bedroom."The total sentence Justice Adams handed down was 35 years, which was discounted to 28 years due to Billings's guilty plea.It was backdated to 20 April 2024, and will expire in 2052.A photo of Daniel Billings taken the day after he killed Molly Ticehurst.SuppliedBillings will first be eligible for parole on 19 April 2044.He stood and nodded as the sentence was read out, while Ticehurst's mother smiled from the public gallery.Murder at 'high end' of seriousnessJustice Adams said the "brutal attack" fell at the "high end" of the range for murder in her assessment of its objective seriousness.She found Billings "planned and obsessed" over the offence, took the day off work and made numerous recordings foreshadowing that he would harm her."Overall, I am satisfied beyond reasonable doubt … that by the time Billings set out on the one-hour drive from Parkes to Forbes, armed with a hunting knife, and recorded himself singing along to the Johnny Cash song, that he planned to kill Ticehurst."I reject any suggestion by Billings that he just went there to talk to her."There was realistically no prospect of Ticehurst engaging in calm conversation with Billings when he had just broken through her window with a knife, in breach of his bail and AVO.""The murder of Molly Ticehurst is a serious murder involving the revenge killing of a woman who made a complaint of domestic violence against him," she said.She described it as a "very serious public justice offence" because a witness to a sexual assault allegation was killed before it could be tested in court.Mental health of killer consideredJustice Adams found that Billings's depressive illness was "one of the factors contributing to the murder"."It is simply not possible to identify which aspects of Billings's motivation to kill Ticehurst were due to his depressive illness and which were motivated by his hatred of her and need for revenge," she said."I am unable to be satisfied … that Billings suffered from an abnormal state of mind at the time of the murder which affected his perception of the events and his capacity to exercise proper control over his actions."She observed he was working full-time, socialising with friends and was seen laughing and joking through recordings made prior to the murder.'No time enough' for supportersAidan Clarke, a childhood friend of Molly Ticehurst, said the community would "always grieve" her loss."We finally have come to the end of this process, and now we move on to the next," he said."Learning to live without her."Clarke said life imprisonment for Billings was the outcome her friends and family wanted, but realised towards the end of sentencing it was not going to eventuate."There's nothing that will bring Molly back and no time was ever going to be enough," he said.Sentence criticised by former police prosecutorThe independent member for Orange and former police prosecutor Phil Donato said the sentence did not provide adequate deterrence.He said the case "shocked the nation" and was the catalyst for changes to domestic violence bail laws in New South Wales."This is a matter that was going to draw a line in the sand to stamp out domestic violence, to send a strong message to the community. I don't think it's done that."There needs to be an adequate sentence to deter other people who might be thinking of doing this."If I do a domestic violence murder or homicide, I'm going to jail for the rest of my life, not be eligible for parole in less than 20 years."Donato believed the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) should appeal against the sentence.The ODPP will consider the sentence imposed in accordance with the prosecution guidelines.Family violence resourcesWomen's Refuge: 0800 733 843.It's Not OK 0800 456 450.Shine: 0508 744 633.Victim Support: 0800 842 846.HELP Call 24/7 (Auckland): 09 623 1700, (Wellington): 04 801 6655.The National Network of Family Violence Services NZ has information on specialist family violence agencies.- ABC News