Fiona Beal Trial: Family says former teacher was ‘extremely unhappy’ with partner she is accused of murdering

Jurors today (March 24) heard from the family of former Eastfield Academy teacher Fiona Beal, who stands accused of murdering her 42-year-old boyfriend Nicholas Billingham and hiding his body in their garden.

Fiona Beal, aged 49, of Moore Street, is the youngest of three daughters. Her father Alan Beal, her mother Julia Beal and her older sister Jennifer Beal all gave evidence in court separately today.

Beal’s family did not warm to Mr Billingham over the course of their relationship, the court heard. Alan described Mr Billingham as “arrogant” and said he did not trust him. He told the court that his daughter lost a lot of friends since getting into a relationship with Mr Billingham.

Jennifer said she “struggled a lot with him” and did not believe the pair were well matched because their priorities were different - she did, however, say the family included and accepted him.

Beal’s mother, father and sister all confirmed they were aware of Mr Billingham’s affairs.

The defendant went on holiday to Thailand with Jennifer’s family for two weeks in 2018 without Mr Billingham because they had been having rows, the court heard.

Julia said: “The reason was because Fiona was extremely unhappy with Nick at the time. She has just had enough.”

However, Beal and Mr Billingham exchanged texts the whole time and, afterwards, got back together.

“Fiona still loved him,” her sister told the court.

Alan said that his daughter and Mr Billingham moved to Moore Street in February 2020 because they wanted their own house and he gave them £7,000 as a gift.

He and Julia would visit but not very often and never for very long. Jennifer never visited their Moore Street home but she said this was because of the pandemic.

When asked how the couple seemed, Beal’s mother said they were sometimes “chatty and friendly” but, other times, it seemed to be “awkward” between the pair and Mr Billingham did not talk to Beal’s parents at all.

The defendant’s family were each asked to recall Christmas 2020. Mr Billingham was described as being “rude and grumpy” as he sat in a chair in the corner of the room not speaking to anybody.

Julia said: “It was the worst we ever had.”

Alan said: “He just sat there, had lunch and only just sat in the chair and would not converse with us and then he said right it’s eight o’clock, we’re going home now.”

Beal’s father added: “He was controlling.”

Julia said: “All of us were trying to be merry and Christmassy and it was not working. Everyone seemed off.”

The last time Beal’s parents claim they saw Mr Billingham in person was sometime in 2021 when he and Beal helped them to fit a new bannister on their stairs. They could not recall what month this was.

The court heard that Beal told her parents that Mr Billingham had fallen ill with Covid around the end of October 2021.

Beal’s family said that the defendant slept on the sofa downstairs while Mr Billingham slept upstairs.

Alan said: “She took him a meal in his bedroom and he said, ‘I am not eating that’ and he ordered a takeaway just for himself.”

He said that Mr Billingham would demand that Beal kept the house clean and tidy to his exact standards and, if she did not, he was “extremely rude to her.”

Jennifer said that because of Mr Billingham’s level of cleanliness, she and Beal would call him ‘Neat Freak Nick.’

The court heard that Beal told her family that Mr Billingham left her for another woman in November 2021.

“She said he’s really gone this time because he’s taken his clothes and the door key back and changed his phone number,” Julia said.

Jurors were shown a text sent by Beal to her sister Jennifer on November 8, 2021:

Hey hope you’re ok and sorry for being **** at keeping in touch. Well not only do I have COVID, I’ve also split up with Nick. Isolation has brought out some very unpleasant truths and he’s moving out. xx

Jennifer told the court that because of Mr Billingham’s history of affairs, she believed her sister. She said they had a phone call shortly afterwards and Fiona seemed “superficially happy” and “relieved” but “distant.”

When Beal’s parents visited her in December 2021 to drop off Christmas and birthday presents - Beal’s birthday fell on December 16 - Julia said: “Fiona seemed happy. I remember saying how nicely she decorated the house for Christmas.”

Towards the end of February 2022, Beal informed her parents that Eastfield Academy had asked her to go on a residential course in East Sussex and she was going to be away for around four days, the court heard.

However, Beal did not return home when she was supposed to.

Jurors were shown a text sent by Beal to her mother on March 10, 2022

I am so sorry to do this to you but I’m staying away for a little longer. Try not to worry but I really need space and time away to think. I love you both so much, please try not to worry. My phone will be off for the rest of today but I will call tomorrow xxx

Julia said she was then phoned by the headteacher of Eastfield Academy, Claire Mills, three days later and she was informed there was no residential course.

This prompted Mrs Mills to call the police to report Beal missing. Shortly later, the police contacted Julia to let her know that her daughter had been located in Cumbria.

When asked about how she felt about her daughter lying to her, Julia replied: “I didn’t think about it that way, I was just worried to death about what happened and where she was.”

The court heard that Beal’s family travelled up to Cumbria on March 18, 2022 after Beal had been detained under the mental health act and arrested on suspicion of Mr Billingham’s murder. They wanted to collect her belongings and visit her but were not allowed to do so.

Jennifer described receiving tearful, slurred and incoherent phone calls from Beal on March 16 and 17, where she kept repeating “help me.” She believed that Beal was having a mental health episode.

The court heard that Beal has been on medication for depression since the age of 19 and, in 2021, went to her doctor because she said she needed “something stronger.”

The trial continues.