Teacher admits murdering partner and burying body

A primary school teacher has admitted murdering her partner, tying his body up and burying him in the garden.

The remains of 42-year-old Nicholas Billingham were found in Northampton in March 2022, four months after he was last seen.

A first trial heard that Fiona Beal, 50, used his phone to send messages to friends and work colleagues, pretending that he was still alive.

A retrial at the Old Bailey had begun and Beal has now admitted murder.

Prosecutor Hugh Davies KC told the retrial Beal stabbed Mr Billingham in the neck while he was wearing a sleep mask and probably cable-tied him to the bed.

He said Beal "wrapped her dead partner up and dragged him down the stairs, destroying the banister rails upstairs in order to do so" and buried him in the garden.

Mr Davies told jurors Mr Billingham's "grave" comprised of concrete Beal had mixed and a "de facto coffin" made of breeze blocks, timber and sheets.

She had already admitted the lesser charge of manslaughter at the beginning of the retrial, which followed a previous trial last year where the jury was discharged after 10 weeks.