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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/aug/17/sadie-hartley-two-women-convicted-for-act-of-barbaric-savagery
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| Sadie Hartley murder: two women convicted over act of 'barbaric savagery' | Sadie Hartley murder: two women convicted over act of 'barbaric savagery' |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Two women have been convicted of murdering a businesswoman in an act of “barbaric savagery” during a planned killing. | Two women have been convicted of murdering a businesswoman in an act of “barbaric savagery” during a planned killing. |
| Sarah Williams, 35, stood trial alongside her friend Katrina Walsh, 56, jointly accused of the murder of Sadie Hartley in January. Hartley, 60, a communications director, was paralysed with a stun gun and repeatedly stabbed by Williams, who had wanted to resume an affair with Hartley’s long-term partner, Ian Johnston, an ex-fireman. | |
| Related: Partner of murdered Sadie Hartley denies responsibility for her death | Related: Partner of murdered Sadie Hartley denies responsibility for her death |
| Hartley, who had answered the door to Williams, was left in a pool of blood in the hallway of her home, having suffered more than 40 stab wounds. | Hartley, who had answered the door to Williams, was left in a pool of blood in the hallway of her home, having suffered more than 40 stab wounds. |
| Her partner, Johnston, 57, away on a skiing trip at the time, was the object of desire for “jealous and obsessive” Williams, who wanted Hartley out of the way. | Her partner, Johnston, 57, away on a skiing trip at the time, was the object of desire for “jealous and obsessive” Williams, who wanted Hartley out of the way. |
| During the seven-week trial at Preston crown court, the jury heard details of explicit texts sent between the defendant Williams, a travel agent, and Johnston just days before Hartley was murdered. The jury heard that Williams recruited her friend Walsh, a horse riding instructor, to execute the “perfect murder”. | During the seven-week trial at Preston crown court, the jury heard details of explicit texts sent between the defendant Williams, a travel agent, and Johnston just days before Hartley was murdered. The jury heard that Williams recruited her friend Walsh, a horse riding instructor, to execute the “perfect murder”. |
| John McDermott QC, prosecuting, told the jury police recovered Walsh’s detailed diary, chronicling the pair’s 17-month plan to murder Hartley in a plot akin “to the stuff of spy novels”. | John McDermott QC, prosecuting, told the jury police recovered Walsh’s detailed diary, chronicling the pair’s 17-month plan to murder Hartley in a plot akin “to the stuff of spy novels”. |
| Related: Hartley killer Katrina Walsh 'was like a puppet', says ex-husband | Related: Hartley killer Katrina Walsh 'was like a puppet', says ex-husband |
| The jury heard the pair travelled to Germany to buy the stun-gun last December and, exactly a week before Hartley was murdered, Walsh delivered flowers to her door in a dry run for their plans. | The jury heard the pair travelled to Germany to buy the stun-gun last December and, exactly a week before Hartley was murdered, Walsh delivered flowers to her door in a dry run for their plans. |
| Williams was a “kept woman” supported by her wealthy “sugar daddy” boyfriend, married David Hardwick, 75, the court heard. She was said to have became infatuated with Johnston after they met at the indoor ski slope Chill Factore in Manchester in 2012. | Williams was a “kept woman” supported by her wealthy “sugar daddy” boyfriend, married David Hardwick, 75, the court heard. She was said to have became infatuated with Johnston after they met at the indoor ski slope Chill Factore in Manchester in 2012. |
| After a brief relationship broke down, Johnston had begun a new life with Hartley, the two of them setting up home together in Helmshore, Lancashire. But sex texts and explicit photos continued to be exchanged between Johnston and Williams right up to just days before the murder, the court heard. | After a brief relationship broke down, Johnston had begun a new life with Hartley, the two of them setting up home together in Helmshore, Lancashire. But sex texts and explicit photos continued to be exchanged between Johnston and Williams right up to just days before the murder, the court heard. |
| The court heard that Johnston ended his affair with Williams after she became “possessive and difficult” but Williams continued to harbour a “delusional hope of a dream life with her ideal man” and spent 17 months plotting the murder of Hartley with her friend Walsh. | The court heard that Johnston ended his affair with Williams after she became “possessive and difficult” but Williams continued to harbour a “delusional hope of a dream life with her ideal man” and spent 17 months plotting the murder of Hartley with her friend Walsh. |
| Johnston has denied he “led her on”, telling the jury the relationship was “just sex”, but Walsh told police Williams would do anything to be with him, even planting secret tracker devices on his car to follow his movements. | Johnston has denied he “led her on”, telling the jury the relationship was “just sex”, but Walsh told police Williams would do anything to be with him, even planting secret tracker devices on his car to follow his movements. |
| On 14 January the day after her daughter’s engagement, Hartley was found dead in the hallway of her home, having been stabbed and slashed 40 times. A barb from the stun gun was found in her collar. | On 14 January the day after her daughter’s engagement, Hartley was found dead in the hallway of her home, having been stabbed and slashed 40 times. A barb from the stun gun was found in her collar. |
| As the unanimous guilty verdicts were read out, Williams briefly closed her eyes before composing herself once again as Johnston, and her daughter, Charlotte, broke down in tears. A gasp was heard from the public gallery as the jury returned another guilty verdict for Walsh. | |
| Williams and Walsh, both from Chester, will be sentenced on Wednesday afternoon. |