Partner of Christine Everett-Hickson found guilty of murder

A man who killed his partner by repeatedly slamming her head on the floor after an argument on their first anniversary has been convicted of her murder.

Kain Tailby assaulted Christine Everett-Hickson, known as Chrissie, in the kitchen of the couple’s flat in Greenhill Lane, Riddings, when they returned home from a night out on 17 February 2024.

The pair argued and after what Tailby described as some “pushing and shoving” he pinned Chrissie to the ground before grabbing her by the neck and hitting her head on the floor a number of times - with a neighbour describing how he heard several loud bangs before silence.

A short time later Tailby called 999, asking for both ambulance and police. During the call Tailby tried to downplay his actions - and even attempted to paint Chrissie as the instigator of the “pushing and shoving”.

He told the operator that Chrissie was in the bath, bleeding from her ear and he had been trying to clean up the blood.

Chrissie was rushed to hospital where doctors discovered she had suffered a number of skull fractures and a traumatic brain injury which she would not survive. The 21-year-old died five days later.

Tailby was arrested at the scene and in interview told officers various stories about what had happened that night and, although, claiming to feel guilty and remorseful about what happened, he was never able to explain his intentions in assaulting Chrissie in the way that he did. 

After being charged with murder, the 31-year-old, of Greenhill Lane, Riddings, admitted manslaughter but denied intentionally killing Chrissie. 

However, today (26 March) he was found guilty of murder by a jury after a trial at Derby Crown Court.

Tailby will be sentenced at the same court on Friday 28 March.

Detective Constable Jonathan Reeves, who was part of the team that worked to bring Tailby to justice, said: “What should have been a celebratory evening for a young couple turned into tragedy when Tailby, by his own admission, overreacted enormously to what had been a minor dispute between the pair.

“He must have known that the force with which he assaulted Chrissie on that night could cause her serious injury or worse - yet he still chose to behave in this way for reasons only he knows.

“Chrissie had her whole life ahead of her, but it was so cruelly taken away by the mindless violence inflicted by Tailby.

“My thoughts remain with Chrissie’s devastated family who continue to grieve for her and deal with their devastating loss.

“While we hadn’t received any previous reports of any violence or domestic abuse between Chrissie and Tailby, we know that many people often suffer in silence – sometimes for many years.

“If you or anyone you know is living with domestic abuse, please reach out for help. We will listen without judgement and support you throughout.”

Domestic abuse can affect both women and men and can occur in same sex relationships. It can be physical, emotional, sexual, or financial.

It can be repeated, random or habitual, and is used to control a partner.

If you're a victim of domestic abuse, or know someone who is, there are a number of ways you can report your concerns:

• Website– We have crime reporting tools on our website: use our online contact form
• Facebook– send us private message to the Derbyshire Constabulary Facebook page
• Phone – call us on 101

In an emergency, where someone is in danger right now, call 999.

If you’re not ready to report to the police, please reach out for support. There are a number of organisations who can help. Please visit Support organisations for victims of domestic violence | Derbyshire Constabulary for more details.

We have recently launched our domestic abuse awareness campaign which is focussing on controlling and coercive behaviour. To find out more see Who is in control? | Derbyshire Constabulary