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Sadie Hartley killing: Women guilty of murdering love rival Sadie Hartley killing: Women guilty of murdering love rival
(35 minutes later)
A woman has been found guilty of stabbing a love rival to death in a "cold-blooded" murder plot she orchestrated with a friend.A woman has been found guilty of stabbing a love rival to death in a "cold-blooded" murder plot she orchestrated with a friend.
Sadie Hartley, 60, was stunned with a cattle prod and stabbed 40 times in Helmshore, Lancashire, on 14 January. Sadie Hartley, 60, was stunned with a cattle prod and stabbed 41 times in Helmshore, Lancashire, on 14 January.
Sarah Williams, 35, killed businesswoman Ms Hartley so she could have her partner, Ian Johnston, to herself, Preston Crown Court heard.Sarah Williams, 35, killed businesswoman Ms Hartley so she could have her partner, Ian Johnston, to herself, Preston Crown Court heard.
Williams and accomplice Katrina Walsh, 56, were both found guilty of murder.Williams and accomplice Katrina Walsh, 56, were both found guilty of murder.
Jurors deliberated for seven hours and nine minutes before returning a verdict at the end of the seven-week trial. Jurors deliberated for seven hours and nine minutes before returning a verdict at the end of the seven-week trial. The pair will be sentenced later.
Live: Reaction to the verdictLive: Reaction to the verdict
What drove a woman to kill her love rival?What drove a woman to kill her love rival?
Daughter describes impact of murder ordealDaughter describes impact of murder ordeal
During the trial, prosecutor John McDermott QC described the duo as a self-styled "Batman and Robin but on the wrong side of the law".During the trial, prosecutor John McDermott QC described the duo as a self-styled "Batman and Robin but on the wrong side of the law".
He said they plotted to fulfil Williams' desire to be with 57-year-old Mr Johnston, with whom she had been involved in the past. He said they plotted to fulfil Williams' desire to rekindle her relationship with 57-year-old Mr Johnston, which he had ended after she became "possessive and difficult", jurors heard.
The fireman had ended the relationship after she became "possessive and difficult", jurors heard. After dumping "obsessive and jealous" Williams, Mr Johnston began a new life with Ms Hartley - but his ex-lover and her accomplice spent 18 months plotting the "perfect murder" to win him back.
After paralysing "decent, hard-working" Ms Hartley with the cattle prod, Williams, of Treborth Road, Blacon, Chester, stabbed the mother-of-two "in an orgy of violence" and with "demonic savagery", the court was told. Williams, who described herself as a "she devil" and "little psycho", had sent Ms Hartley a "spiteful" letter in June 2014, claiming she and Mr Johnston had enjoyed "unbelievably fantastic sex" behind her back, but it failed to end the relationship of the couple.
The planning that followed was described in court as "the stuff of spy novels".
Williams and Walsh travelled to Germany to buy the stun gun last December and, exactly a week before Ms Hartley was murdered, Walsh delivered flowers to her door in a dry run for their plans.
Walsh, of Hare Lane, Chester, kept a diary as they hatched the plot, jurors were told.
After paralysing the "decent, hard-working" woman with the cattle prod, Williams, of Treborth Road, Blacon, Chester, stabbed the mother-of-two "in an orgy of violence" and with "demonic savagery", the court was told.
Williams swallowed hard as the jury forewoman delivered the verdicts, while Walsh gave a slight nod of her head.Williams swallowed hard as the jury forewoman delivered the verdicts, while Walsh gave a slight nod of her head.
Ms Hartley's daughter, Charlotte, 23, wiped away tears as she sat in the public gallery next to Garry Hartley, her father and Ms Hartley's ex-husband, and her brother, Harry.Ms Hartley's daughter, Charlotte, 23, wiped away tears as she sat in the public gallery next to Garry Hartley, her father and Ms Hartley's ex-husband, and her brother, Harry.
Mr Johnston, sitting a few rows behind them, had tears in his eyes and gave a slight nod as the verdicts came in.Mr Johnston, sitting a few rows behind them, had tears in his eyes and gave a slight nod as the verdicts came in.
Walsh, of Hare Lane, Chester, who was recruited by Williams to to help her with the "murderous mission", kept a diary as they hatched the plot, jurors were told. The court heard how, on the day of her death, Ms Hartley was at home alone because Mr Johnston was away on a skiing trip in the Swiss Alps.
One entry read: "Sarah came round so got caught up in endless murder plots". Williams, described as a "bunny boiler" and "kept woman" who was already in a relationship with a wealthy 75-year-old "sugar daddy" and having affairs with other men, had a brief fling with Mr Johnston.
Another read: "Wow, I may get to be instrumental in helping to remove the awful woman."