Teacher admits killing partner buried in garden

A primary school teacher has admitted killing her partner whose tied-up body was found buried in the garden.

The remains of Nicholas Billingham, 42, were found at a home in Moore Street, Northampton in March 2022, four and a half months after he was last seen.

At the Old Bailey Fiona Beal admitted the lesser charge of manslaughter but is now on trial for murder.

The prosecution has told the jury she admitted the killing by writing about it in a journal.

Judge Mark Lucraft KC, told the jury that Beal pleaded guilty to the lesser offence of manslaughter - but she denied murdering Mr Billingham between October 30 and November 10 2021.

Opening the murder trial, prosecutor Hugh Davies KC said: "She had planned to, and had, killed him in cold blood."

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