In court, it was revealed that a primary school teacher stabbed her cheating boyfriend to death "in cold blood" and buried his body in the garden while falsely claiming they had Covid and needed to self-isolate.

A primary school teacher has admitted guilt during her trial for the murder of her 'cheating' boyfriend. She lured him to their room under the guise of intimacy, then bound him to the bed with cable ties, fatally stabbed him in the neck, and subsequently buried his body in their garden.

Fiona Beal, aged 50, meticulously planned the murder of 42-year-old builder Nick Billingham in her journal. She adopted the persona 'Tulip22' in her writings before purchasing a knife and a chisel.

After committing the murder "in cold blood" at their residence in Northampton on November 1, 2021, the "highly capable" teacher informed friends that they had both tested positive for Covid, ensuring she wouldn't be disturbed while she buried him in the garden.

Mr. Billingham's body remained undiscovered for four months until police came across Beal's journal, where she detailed how her lover questioned "why?" as she stabbed him.

Subsequently, authorities excavated the garden and found his mummified remains wrapped in sheeting in an improvised grave filled with compost and ten 22.5kg bags of Cotswold Stone that she had specifically purchased from B&Q.

Beal initially pleaded guilty to the lesser offense of manslaughter due to a loss of control but denied murdering Mr. Billingham between October 30 and November 10, 2021.

Today, a jury at the Old Bailey heard that she had changed her plea.

Addressing Beal, Judge Mark Lucraft stated, "You have this morning pleaded guilty to murder, which as you have no doubt been told, carries a sentence of life imprisonment."

As the jury exited the courtroom, Beal, tearful, wiped her eyes with a tissue.

After murdering her partner, Beal sent messages to friends claiming they were both ill with Covid and had to isolate.

Prosecutor Hugh Davies, KC, told the Old Bailey: "Central to the plan was knowing that after stabbing him, if she claimed she had Covid, she would have 10 days to bury him and cover up her crime. And that's exactly what happened. She was thinking about what time was best to do it, whether he would be snoring, but she knew or visualised it would be by stabbing him 'left to right, down slight right.' And that's what she did - she stabbed him in his jugular vein in his neck."

Beal murdered Mr. Billingham in their bedroom late on November 1.

Mr. Davies elaborated further: "The cleanup began as early as 01:07 am on November 2nd. Using her deceased partner's account initially, then switching to hers on Amazon, she purchased various cleaning supplies, including items for Venetian blinds, a new mop and bucket, heavy-duty bin bags, a new mattress, bedding, clothing, wall art, and mirrors.

"This controlled behavior is both practical and indulgent. On November 1st, she fabricated a positive Covid test result, simply by completing the NHS questionnaire online app and self-reporting a positive test. There's no evidence she ever underwent a PCR test. Her actions over the next 10 days contradict her claim of experiencing the exhausting effects of Covid.

"In addition, Beal messaged her sisters, stating they had broken up, alleging he left due to an affair with another woman."

The prosecution dismissed the notion that Mr. Billingham had left for another woman as "completely false." However, jurors were informed of Mr. Billingham's past infidelity.

Returning to her teaching duties with Year 6 pupils, Beal garnered sympathy from those aware of her breakup. However, her mental health began to deteriorate in late February 2022.

The following month, Beal rented a cabin in Cumbria and sent alarming messages to family members, prompting them to call the police for a welfare check. Inside the cabin, handwritten journals revealed a different side of Beal's personality.

In her journals, Beal detailed Mr. Billingham asking "why?" after she stabbed him. According to Mr. Davies, these entries contained clear admissions of her premeditated and cold-blooded murder. She had acquired a forged-handled utility knife, a chisel, and cable ties in preparation for the act.

She lured Mr. Billingham with the promise of intimacy after a bath, then stabbed him in the neck while he was likely restrained with cable ties on their bed, possibly wearing a sleep mask.

A previous trial in Northampton was halted before its conclusion for legal reasons.

Detective Chief Inspector Adam Pendlebury of Northamptonshire Police expressed relief following Beal's guilty plea, stating, "We are pleased Fiona Beal has now admitted she did indeed murder Nick Billingham, and hope that it brings the start of some closure to his family who have faced a torrid time for more than two years, including sitting through the original trial in Northampton in 2023. Today's news will have come as a great relief as they await her sentencing next month."