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Witness thought women accused of Sadie Hartley murder were a couple Sadie Hartley murder trial hears intimate texts from affair
(about 2 hours later)
A secret affair that ended in the killing of a businesswoman has been exposed in a series of explicit text messages. An affair that ended in the killing of a businesswoman has been exposed in a series of intimate text messages.
Travel agent Sarah Williams, 35, was alleged to have been aided by horse-riding instructor Katrina Walsh, 56, in her “murderous mission” to get rid of love rival Sadie Hartley, with the pair consulting tarot cards during their planning. Travel agent Sarah Williams, 35, was alleged to have been helped by horse-riding instructor Katrina Walsh, 56, in her “murderous mission” to get rid of Sadie Hartley, with the pair consulting tarot cards during their planning.
A jury at Preston crown court was told that Hartley, a 60-year-old company director, was incapacitated with a stun gun when she opened the door of her home in Helmshore, Lancashire, and was then stabbed 40 times on 14 January. A jury at Preston crown court was told that Hartley, a 60-year-old company director, was incapacitated with a stun gun when she opened the door of her home in Helmshore, Lancashire, on 14 January and was then stabbed 40 times.
The Crown says Williams began plotting the murder 17 months before when Hartley’s long-time partner Ian Johnston broke off their affair as she became “possessive and difficult”. The crown said Williams began plotting the murder 17 months before, when Hartley’s long-time partner, Ian Johnston, broke off his affair with Williams as she became “possessive and difficult”.
A series of texts were recovered from the phone of Williams that showed secret exchanges with former fireman Johnston, 57, with Williams calling herself a “she devil” and “little psycho”. A series of texts were recovered from the phone of Williams that showed secret exchanges with Johnston, 57, in which Williams called herself a “she devil” and “little psycho”.
The texts revealed that the couple had been in a sexual relationship since at least September 2013 and were at times in daily contact.The texts revealed that the couple had been in a sexual relationship since at least September 2013 and were at times in daily contact.
Prosecuting, John McDermott QC read the series of texts between the couple, with Williams saying after one encounter that she had had a “lovely time” and that “the sex was fantastic”. Prosecuting, John McDermott QC read the series of texts between the couple, with Williams saying after one encounter that she had had a “lovely time” and that “the sex was fantastic”. Williams described Johnston as an “alpha male”, but also said she was afraid of being hurt by the former firefighter.
The texts continued in this vein, with a besotted Williams describing Johnston as an “alpha male”, but also saying that she was afraid of being hurt by him. They also revealed that Johnston had no apparent intention of leaving mother-of-two Hartley, and at times seemed to regret the affair.
They also revealed that Johnston, a former fireman, had no apparent intention of leaving mother-of-two Hartley, and at times seemed regretful of the affair. In one text, he said: “I wasn’t looking for you or expecting you to appear. Sadie has been through hell. I always do my best to keep people safe. Sometimes I just hate who I am.” In another, a frustrated Williams accused Johnston of not showing her enough respect, saying: “I am just not good enough.”
In one text, Johnston said: “I wasn’t looking for you or expecting you to appear. Sadie has been through hell. I always do my best to keep people safe. Sometimes I just hate who I am.” But separately, Williams texted friends saying she wanted the relationship to progress quickly: “Being the little psychopath I am I want to push it along”.
In another text, a frustrated Williams accused Johnston of not showing her enough respect, saying: “I am just not good enough.” In one long exchange on Christmas Eve 2013, in which Williams seems eager to spend the period with Johnston, he replies: “Sarah, please get that I can’t have you here at this time. This is too difficult. Sorry. I can’t have you coming round when all these people know Sadie. It’s not about you it’s about me sorry.”
But separately, Williams texted friends about Johnston, whom she referred to as “the Fireman” and talked of wanting their relationship to progress quickly, confessing to being a “she devil” and saying: “being the little psychopath I am I want to push it along”. In another message he says: “Sadie has been very kind to me. I am not going to just blow her out. That’s just not who I am. This is way too heavy.” Another states: “You knew I was seeing Sadie when all this started.”
In one long exchange on Christmas Eve 2013, in which Williams is seemingly eager to spend Christmas with Johnston, he replies: “Sarah, please get that I can’t have you here at this time. This is too difficult. Sorry. Williams replies: “I’m just never good enough … I should not be feeling like this and sobbing my heart out. I’m sorry for loving you, I’m sorry for caring …”
“I can’t have you coming round when all these people know Sadie. It’s not about you it’s about me sorry.”
In another message he says: “Sadie has been very kind to me. I am not going to just blow her out. That’s just not who I am. This is way too heavy.” Another states: “You knew I was seeing Sadie when all this started. It’s not about you, it’s about me.”
In a series of texts, Williams replies: “I’m just never good enough … I should not be feeling like this and sobbing my heart out. I’m sorry for loving you, I’m sorry for caring …”
Johnston also accused Williams of having a relationship with an older man, David Hardwick, 75, for financial gain. But Williams replied: “I don’t fuck him for money to finance my lifestyle. I have not slept with him for a very long time.”Johnston also accused Williams of having a relationship with an older man, David Hardwick, 75, for financial gain. But Williams replied: “I don’t fuck him for money to finance my lifestyle. I have not slept with him for a very long time.”
Johnston’s partner, Hartley, became aware of the relationship between Johnston and Williams in September 2014 when Williams, in an “act of complete spitefulness”, sent a letter to her detailing the affair. Hartley became aware of the affair in September 2014 when Williams, in an “act of complete spitefulness”, wrote to her about it.
In a diary entry by the co-defendant Walsh it is alleged that Hartley rang Williams after receiving the letter, with Williams texting that a “bomb had gone off”. In a diary entry by the co-defendant, Walsh, it is alleged that Hartley rang Williams after receiving the letter, with Williams texting that a “bomb had gone off”.
Meanwhile, Walsh’s friend Ann Riley told the court she had never met Williams but Walsh would talk about her incessantly during horse-riding lessons. She said: “She gave me the impression that they were a couple. They went on holiday together and spent a lot of time with each other.” Walsh’s friend Ann Riley told the court she had never met Williams but that Walsh talked about her incessantly during horse-riding lessons. “She gave me the impression that they were a couple. They went on holiday together and spent a lot of time with each other.”
The court heard Williams would regularly visit Walsh’s home with her dog and watch films on her bed. The witness said she was later “surprised” to learn that Williams already had a partner, Hardwick, who has been labelled in court as her “sugar daddy”. The court heard Williams would regularly visit Walsh’s home with her dog and watch films on her bed. Riley said she was surprised to learn that Williams already had a partner, Hardwick, who has been described in court as her “sugar daddy”.
A former work colleague of Williams said she felt uncomfortable with her lifestyle and refused to engage in conversation with her about the subject. A former colleague of Williams said she was aware of the relationship with Hardwick and was later told of the affair with Johnston.
Kerry Williams said she was aware Sarah Williams was in a relationship with Hardwick and later told of the affair with Johnston. Kerry Williams said: “The information I was aware of was that Ian was with somebody, a rich lady, but it didn’t matter because he was going to leave her for Sarah. She was of the mindset that their relationship was progressing.”
She said: “The information I was aware of was that Ian was with somebody, a rich lady, but it didn’t matter because he was going to leave her for Sarah. She was of the mindset that their relationship was progressing.” She said she told the defendant: “It’s just like deja vu. Here we go again, I don’t want to know.”
She said she did not ask for further details and said to the defendant: “It’s just like deja vu. Here we go again, I don’t want to know.”
Kerry Williams formed the view that Sarah Williams was in “a fantasy world”.Kerry Williams formed the view that Sarah Williams was in “a fantasy world”.
Michaela Burns, who knew Sarah Williams through their shared interest in horses, said the defendant worked part-time at a bank when they first met eight years ago. Michaela Burns, who knew Sarah Williams through their shared interest in horses, said she, too, knew of the relationship with Hardwick.
She, too, knew of the relationship with Hardwick, whom she said was “clearly very well off”. “Sarah was not shy about saying she was financially dependent on him and they seemed to live quite a good lifestyle,” Burns said, adding that Williams had two houses and would go on skiing holidays twice a year.
Burns said: “Sarah was not shy about saying she was financially dependent on him and they seemed to live quite a good lifestyle.” She said Williams eventually became unhappy in that relationship
She said Williams had two houses and would go on skiing holidays a couple of times a year. . “I think they wanted different things. She said she wanted a baby but David didn’t want one.”
The witness told McDermott that Williams eventually became “unhappy” in the relationship with Hardwick. Williams and Walsh, both of Chester, deny murder. The case continues.
She said: “I think they wanted different things. She said she wanted a baby but David didn’t want one.”
Williams, of Treborth Road, Blacon, Chester, and Walsh, of Hare Lane, Chester, deny murder. The case continues.