The NSW Police Commissioner has conceded that the 'horrifying' alleged murder of Molly Ticehurst 'shouldn't have happened' amid a surge in domestic violence in Australia.
The body of the childhood educator and mother-of-one, 28, was found at her home in Forbes, about 137km west of Sydney, early Monday.
Her ex-boyfriend Daniel Billings, 29, has been charged with her alleged murder and was at the time on bail.
He had earlier been charged with allegedly raping the young mother three times, stalking and harassing her four times, smashing her car windows, and assaulting her 12-week-old dachshund puppy.
Commissioner Webb was said to be hard hit by Ms Ticehurst's death and described it as 'terrible and frankly horrifying crime' as she backed an urgent government review into bail laws 'as a priority'.
NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb said that the 'horrifying' alleged murder of Molly Ticehurst 'shouldn't have happened' amid a surge in domestic violence in Australia
'I'll say from the outset that police share the sentiment of the community,' Commissioner Webb told the Sydney Morning Herald.
'This shouldn't have happened. And sadly, it's not an isolated case.'
She also backed a pledge from NSW Premier Chris Minns to review bail laws in a desperate bid to make NSW a safer state.
She looks forward to working closely with the state government on the review, which will examine how alleged offenders, such as Billings are allowed back into the community.
Ms Ticehurst was the 25th woman to be allegedly murdered by a man in 2024.
Domestic violence has been a priority for Commissioner Webb since she was appointed to the top job two years ago.
'I have always said domestic violence is a silent crime. That needs to change,' she said.
The commissioner added that the issue of domestic violence needed to be 'kept in the spotlight' so victims could feel empowered to speak out and seek help.
When asked on Friday if she'd like to see a change where court registrars don't make decisions on serious matters like sexual assault or stalking, the commissioner said 'certainly'.
'When I saw the attorney's announcement (about the review), he was clear that one of those suggestions being considered was that a prosecutor or a magistrate consider bail, rather than a registrar,' she told 2GB's Ben Fordham.
'I support that if that's where the government lands.'
'We've been lobbying for some time to make amendments to the bail acts particularly around protecting women and victims of sexual and domestic violence.
'We've got a seat at that table and it's important that we do.'
Commissioner Webb described the death of Molly Ticehurst (pictured) as a 'terrible and frankly horrifying crime '
It comes after it was revealed that Billings was free to roam - and allegedly enter Forbes in contravention of a restriction order - after one court decision, followed by a second just days before Ms Ticehurst was allegedly killed.
According to Nine Newspapers, when he faced a Saturday court in Dubbo to apply for bail on the rape and stalking charges, the presiding officer was L Cusack, a registrar, rather than a more senior magistrate, because magistrates don't work on weekends.
Registrars are trained in hearing bail applications but, unlike magistrates, do not need to hold a law degree.
During that court appearance on April 6, police argued before the registrar that Billings posed a risk to his former partner and had made threats against her.
However, the registrar agreed to free him on bail, imposing a $5,000 surety and an apprehended violence order on behalf of Ms Ticehurst, including a condition that he not enter the town of Forbes at all.
Last Thursday, the charges were mentioned again at Dubbo Local Court before a magistrate, however this time police did not question whether he should be returned to custody.
Ms Ticehurst's body was discovered at her four days later.
Police arrested Billings, who had allegedly fled to a property in Fifield, more than 100km away from Forbes, and he is now on rem]and in custody.
Ms Ticehurst's grieving father, Tony Ticehurst, told Nine: 'If they'd have kept him in jail as the police wanted, we wouldn't be having this conversation.'
Billings will appear in Orange Local Court on June 20.
Daniel Billings, 29, has been charged with Ms Ticehurst's alleged murder and was at the time on bail for other serious offences